Jewel of the Dragon
by Susan Azurmendi
Summary: Jack Sparrow and The Black Pearl go up against a notorious Pirate with the help of a young drifter and a woman, who have a secret tie to one another and power over a Dragon.


**Jewel of the Dragon**

Chapter 1

On a rocky mountainous slope of the southern Himalayas, a young boy watched over a small herd of goats grazing on scattered patches of grass. Alone and sitting on a crag in the cool early hours of morning, he paused to look up and saw a hawk circling overhead in search of food. With a loud screech, the hawk soared up toward a nest in the crevice of a steep cliff overlooking a deep, narrow gorge whose sides rose sharply and towered high over surrounding lush forests and grassy meadows. As the sun slowly appeared over snowy peaks, clouds parted allowing warm rays of sunlight to dissipate the heavy morning mist and settle on the tall towers of a Buddhist monastery. Shrouded in mystery and tradition, it stood nestled between jagged cliffs and was accessed only by a rocky, winding path that led from a small village far below.

Assembled in an old, moss-covered courtyard, a small group of monks quietly stood facing the main tower patiently waiting for a sacred ceremony to begin. While eyes focused in quiet serenity on a symbol of fire carved into a stone on the tower wall, the silence was broken by the tinkling sounds of chimes gently swaying in the cool, mountain breeze. Within moments, the sun cast its light upon the higher walls. As it rose in the sky, its light descended slowly until it finally shone upon the fire symbol. Only then did the large, wooden door of the tower open and five elegantly robed young men emerge and take their place in front of an ancient, stone altar.

There on a red silk cloth edged with black and gold thread, incense burned in golden bowls, and wisps of white, scented smoke encircled all who stood nearby. A large, imposing golden statue of a dragon with outstretched wings and emerald eyes rested on a beautifully carved jade pedestal set in the middle of the altar. Around its neck on golden chains hung five golden medallions made in the image of the dragon's head, whose eye was a large, shimmering emerald. As the gold reflected the flickering light of candles placed around the altar, the young men waited patiently for what was to follow with heads bowed and eyes focused on the stone surface beneath their sandaled feet.

Presently the deep, quivering tone of a brass gong resonated throughout the monastery, and the old master priest appeared and slowly walked toward the altar. Raising his hands to the dragon, he closed his eyes and began to chant. A strong gust of wind suddenly blew across the courtyard, and green flags displayed along the top of the wall flapped loudly. Flames from the candles flickered, and the emerald eyes of the dragon began to glow. The chanting ended, and the priest turned to bow before the five men, placing around each of their necks one of the gold medallions marking their mastery in the skills of weapons, martial arts, and spirituality. After all medallions had been bestowed, the priest stood before the statue and chanted once more before kneeling low. The eyes of the dragon burned brighter, and green rays suddenly burst from the glowing emeralds to each of the five medallions setting the smaller emeralds ablaze with its fiery essence. Instantly a surge of energy from each medallion flowed through the young men causing them to throw their arms out behind them while arching their backs in pain. In that moment they each received the power of the dragon, a power of strength, courage, honor, and purpose.

When at last the transition ended, the priest made a motion with his hand, and another monk came forward carrying an ornately decorated ebony chest and set it on the altar before the dragon. The priest opened the box and removed five pairs of golden sais carefully placing them on the altar where they glimmered softly in the candlelight. A mighty weapon worthy of its purpose, the sai had three-prongs, a long and narrow middle prong tapering to a sharp point with two shorter, narrower prongs, one on each side curving outward. It was the sacred weapon of the Order for it symbolized the face of the dragon. The middle prong, which could be retracted into the handle of the weapon and released by a secret device hidden within, represented its long tongue with the shorter prongs as sharp pointed teeth. A large, round emerald lay imbedded in the golden handle where the three prongs came together and pressing the emerald triggered the extension of the middle prong to its full length. Finally, along the handle itself ancient symbols for the words honor, truth, and justice were delicately engraved.

The young men stepped forward, and each received their weapon, one in each hand. In unison they raised them out from their chest and chanted an oath of loyalty to the dragon to uphold justice and defeat the powers of evil. The sais were then crossed touching them to the medallion, sealing their oath to the dragon. The priest made another motion with his hand, and the new warriors knelt down and bowed their heads. He stood before each one placing his right hand on each of their heads then raised them up again. They waited as the priest bowed one last time after which the five men together bowed in acceptance of their award and turned to face the assembly to bow before them as well. In a final gesture of unison and allegiance, the young men each raised a fist out in front of them then struck their chest twice before extending their fist out again, displaying the secret sign of power and victory from the heart. This concluded the ceremony, and the gong sounded again whereby the master priest promptly picked up the ebony chest and slowly walked back to the wooden door where he disappeared inside the old building.

High above the courtyard in a tall tower, a young woman looked down on the ceremony from a small window. Dressed in dark silk pants and tunic and wearing a dark veil across her face, she paused just a moment to wipe away beads of perspiration from her forehead then moved away from the window and back into the main part of the room. She bent down to pick up a sword and with focus and determination once again began her rigorous routine of thrusts and jabs. Around the large room she maneuvered her parrying exhibition, gaining speed with her movements and skill of her hands. She finally put the sword away and earlier thrusts and jabs now became punches and kicks as she focused on strength and discipline of body and motion of muscles. More slowly and with perfect control, she practiced breathing deeply as she moved her body extending arms and legs in different positions, an exercise in control over mind and body.

With the completion of this drill, the young woman walked over to a small table and picked up a handful of knives. She focused on the wall at the far end of the room where cloth targets had been posted for her use. With a deep breath threw the knives in quick succession. One by one they whizzed past the window in a gentle arc in search of their destination. When all had been thrown**,** she walked over to the targets and found a knife stuck within the center mark of each one. Satisfied with the results, she took the knives back to the table and once again threw them, repeating the exercise many times and replacing any targets that became ragged or torn.

After several hours had passed, she heard the soft sound of a bell and obediently set aside her weapons to sit in quiet meditation near the open window. Taking in deep controlled breathes of the mountain air, she concentrated on thoughts of peace and harmony, of nature and God, and of her purpose and place in life caught between the forces of good and that of evil. She finally closed her eyes allowing her spiritual psyche to cleanse her subconscious of any thoughts of mental or physical inadequacy, thoughts not conducive to a warrior of the dragon. Within the hour, a young monk came to the door and quietly knocked. When no one answered, he slowly opened the door to peek inside the room and upon finding the young woman sitting serenely on the floor in deep concentration, he quietly approached and gently touched her on the shoulder.

"Ju-Lan," he said quietly as he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "It is late, and you must come now. Master Seng will be hungry for his meal."

While waiting for her to respond, he stared at her closely. Her skin was radiant though the veil covered her nose and lower part of her face. This was a woman's custom of respect within this sacred sanctuary of religious men sworn to a life of perpetuating the Order of the Dragon with honor, justice, and high moral character. The young man waited until she opened her eyes and saw them sparkle with a faint green glow as sunlight through the open window shone upon her face. He gazed into her eyes for a moment, mesmerized by swirling flickers of light enticing his senses and tempting him to draw nearer. Resisting the urge, he quickly straightened up and offered his hand to help her to her feet. She accepted the offer and was soon standing before him.

"The power grows strong in you, Ju-Lan. You are almost ready."

She nodded her head, and the young man motioned toward the door then followed her after she picked up a scarf to tie around her long, dark hair. When finished, she put her hands together and with a little secret smile, bowed before him. Quickly she turned to walk out of the room and down the narrow halls. At the entrance to the kitchen she paused to wash her hands in a bowl of water placed on a small table then dried them with a cloth folded neatly on the side, gently touching a scar below her right thumb.

On the other side of the world, from the balcony of his plantation home set high on a cliff above the town of St. John's, Richard Whitbourne sat quietly looking out toward the small harbor where the cool, blue waters of the Caribbean Sea glistened from the late morning rays of sunlight. A seagull flew high above the trees and caught his attention. He gazed as it soared gracefully on a warm gust of wind then suddenly swooped down toward the town below to join others flying near the pier and several small fishing boats. Like so many times before, Richard watched as the townspeople bustled around in the large, open market square and down to the waterfront. A large ship carrying valuable goods from England to the small island of Antigua was tied securely to the docks. There men from the ship and those on the dock worked endlessly under the hot sun to unload its precious cargo of fine fabrics, aged wine, leather goods, cutlery, tapestry, and other household items as well as medicine, weapons and ammunition.

Richard idly looked past the town to the fortress built high above it protecting the citizens of St. John's and the surrounding area. He could just barely see patches of red from the uniforms of soldiers walking the parapets, watching and waiting. For some time, he too had been watching and waiting. However, today his prayers had been answered. The ship from England had brought him a letter from his daughter, Julianne. She was finally coming home to them after years of being away- away from home, away from family, and away from life.

As he held the precious letter in his hand, Richard sadly thought back to the last time he had seen her. Though a young woman, she looked so small and fragile waving to him and his wife, Catherine, from the deck of a ship leaving Savannah harbor for England some three years ago. From there she had traveled to India and lived with his brother and family. His heart ached knowing the pain she felt at leaving him and her mother, but she could no longer bear the emptiness and anguish of having lost her fiancé. It was soon after her departure that Richard packed up his lonely wife and their belongings and settled in Antigua to raise sugarcane.

Settling in Savannah ten years earlier had seemed like the perfect venture for the enterprising and successful aristocrat and his family. He worked hard to establish a plantation and involved himself with the affairs of the city and commerce. Soon his plantation thrived on the export of cotton and flax allowing the Whitbournes to enjoy the social status of wealthy landowners. His only child, Julianne, was nineteen years old when she met Edward Davenport. He was a handsome, educated, and well-mannered son of another landowner, James Davenport, who had only recently moved to Savannah from Charleston with his wife and three children.

Edward was the oldest son who had studied law and received a position in a prosperous law office under the tutelage of Savannah's most prestigious barrister, Henry Sebastian. Though twenty-two years of age, Edward had already successfully represented several clients in their litigations and had hoped to one day turn his focus to more political pursuits. It was at a church picnic one Sunday afternoon in spring when he met the beautiful Julianne Whitbourne, young and spirited, yet graceful and poised. After several months they fell in love, and when Edward asked for Julianne's hand in marriage, Richard and Catherine were very pleased and happily began to make plans for the upcoming nuptials.

Time passed quickly as summer turned to autumn. Julianne and her mother busied themselves ordering her trousseau from a well-known fashion shop in London, and though Catherine knew it would take the better part of a year before arriving in Savannah, she would have none other but the best for her daughter. Still there was much to do and learn for Julianne was determined to be a good wife and housekeeper and eagerly set forth to master the ways of house and kitchen. With many months yet to wait, Julianne and Edward patiently looked forward to their life together until one fateful night the scourge of the seas set their sights on Savannah and forever changed the lives of the young couple and all who lived there.

Richard's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the sound of gentle footsteps. He slowly turned to look around and saw his wife come through the open balcony door to join him. She was followed by a house servant who carried a silver tray with a plate of fresh bread, honey, and cheese along with two cups and a teapot of freshly brewed tea. As she sat in the chair next to him he smiled at her, and a feeling of calmness took hold of him soothing his worrisome heart. She returned his smile and soon turned to look out over the balcony rails. Richard continued to gaze at her, his eyes tracing the profile of her face and gentle wave of her dark hair pulled back and pinned behind her head.

Catherine was beautiful by most standards. A delicate flower, she had weathered the strain and hardship of leaving her comfortable home and family in England to live in a new world with her husband and child. She loved Richard and trusted in his vision of a good and prosperous future for her and their daughter. She reached out to touch his arm, and he looked into her anxious eyes. In them he could see the excitement and anticipation of once again seeing their beloved Julianne. Although the letter was dated some three months earlier and had no mention of an arrival date, she had already begun the preparations for her daughter's arrival with new linens and pillows for her bedroom, which was filled daily with the fragrance of freshly, cut tropical flowers. The passing of each day without Julianne had been hard on them both, yet it was enough for now just knowing she was safe and finally on her way back home to them.

Richard waited while Catherine served him his tea then helped himself to some bread and cheese. When he had finished with his drink, he placed his hand on hers and leaned over to whisper in her ear.

"I think I'll go down to the docks and see what ships are due in for the week. Perhaps I can get more information from the office of the harbormaster."

Catherine nodded her approval, and Richard slowly rose from his chair folding the letter and carefully putting it in his pocket. After leaning down to kiss his wife softly on her cheek, he walked into the house and left her sitting there smiling and gazing out at the blue water. Within a few minutes she saw his carriage drive down the road leading to town and watched until it finally turned a corner and disappeared behind a cluster of tall bushes and palm trees.

Later that morning in the St. John's shipping office, Richard sat patiently and waited to hear word about the ship that would eventually bring his daughter home. He stared out the window toward the docks and watched the procession of men moving up and down the pier with carts and wagons in their efforts to transport the newly arrived goods to their destinations. The harbormaster was also busy checking on goods that had arrived as well as goods returning to England. Eventually sugarcane from Richard's own plantation would be included, but that would be a later shipment as the crop was not yet ready for harvesting. Richard continued to watch the harbormaster as he checked items off his list then hurried to the next group of items being unloaded. Meanwhile, the clerk returned from the back room and promptly sat down at his desk.

"Sir, as you know," the clerk explained, "with the ever present danger of piracy and profiteering, it's not safe for ships to reveal their schedule. Far too many spies about who are more than willing to sell this information. Then again depending on the wind and weather, it's impossible to know when the next ship might arrive. It could days, weeks, or even longer."

Sadly Richard lowered his head and stared at the many papers and scattered documents lying on the clerk's desk. He knew the sea was dangerous to travel on these days, and this only added to his concern over Julianne's safety since she was, after all, traveling alone.

"Sir, again, I am sorry," added the clerk sensing his disappointment. "Why, it's getting to be where we can't even keep track of our own fishing boats. Just this morning a local resident reported his small fishing boat stolen right from our very docks. All I can say is thank goodness the governor has promised to provide more protection and to patrol the waters more frequently."

The clerk paused to catch his breath.

"I do hope your daughter is safe and arrives soon, and I promise, Mr. Whitbourne, if I do hear anything more, I'll promptly send you word."

Though disappointed, Richard smiled and thanked him. He rose to leave the small office, and as he walked through the door he looked up at the small flock of seagulls flying in circles overhead searching for small morsels of food. He paused to watch them, then slowly walked back to his carriage and told the driver to return to the plantation where he would gently break the bad news to Catherine.

Richard sat in the carriage looking out the window as it moved along the dirt road. The people of Antigua were fortunate, he thought. Their world was sound and secure, and they lived comfortably within its perimeter with their homes and families, their work and play, and their dreams and ambitions. Regardless their circumstances and station in life, they were here, safe within the sanctity of this small island town. He envied them for despite his wealth and position, he lacked that which would make him the happiest, his daughter.

The carriage pulled up to the main house, and Richard stepped out looking over his vast expanse of land. Workers were in the fields attending to their chores and all seemed well. He decided not to enter the house immediately but rather walked around to the back side of it and out to a place on a cliff where he looked down on the town and the docks. It was a clear, sunny day allowing him to look far out to sea and scan the horizon in hopes that maybe another ship might be on the horizon, but there were none. He lowered his head with a deep sigh and turned to walk back to the house and his wife. He saw her standing at the balcony railing waving at him and with a forced smile returned the gesture. He had hoped to be able to tell her when they could expect their daughter, but for now there was nothing they could do but wait.

Gentle waves lapped against the side of a small, fishing boat as it drifted farther away from St. John's harbor out into the Caribbean. Also waiting, a lonely figure sat quietly looking out toward the horizon feeling the heat of the sun on his back and an occasional mist of sea spray on his face. The spray cooled his skin for he had been drifting for hours with no relief from the sun except for a dark cloth that covered his head. He reached over the side of the boat and scooped up a handful of water to throw on his neck then heard sizzling sounds as drops fell into a smoking, black iron pot that sat on the floorboard in front of him surrounded by a small pile of dried twigs and kindling. Smoke rose from the pot as flames smoldered within its confines, flames that grew and crackled as an occasional piece of twig was dropped inside. Looking away as smoke stung his eyes, the young man finally glanced down and noticed a strong piece of twig lying on the pile. With a knife taken from his boot, he slowly began to whittle away at it until he had fashioned himself a small, sharp hook. After examining it, he smiled at his handiwork and laid the hook to the side, then picked up a partially burnt stick and set it also aside to cool.

Ever pausing from time to time to look out across the calm water, he opened a small, leather pouch that hung from his belt and carefully took out several items. Laying them in his lap for a quick inspection, they included a ball of twine, a piece of flint, some coins, a small, shiny metal box, and a piece of cloth, which held a beautiful, golden medallion. Except for this precious piece of treasure, the items could hardly be considered of great value, yet they and the knife he kept in his boot were his sole means of survival. He did not require much, for he had a purpose for being out there in the small fishing boat. He had come a long way on a special quest, a mission, and once accomplished, he cared little of what became of him, even whether he lived or died for he knew destiny would determine his fate.

The young man wiped his brow and waited patiently, again looking optimistically over the water for that flag, that special banner, that symbol that would help fulfill that destiny. With a sigh of disappointment, he added the hook to his small collection and except for the medallion put the items back in his pouch. Looking now at the golden treasure, he ran his fingers slowly over the finely crafted shape and brought it up to touch his forehead then his heart.

A few wistful minutes passed before he laid the medallion back in the cloth and carefully in the pouch with the other items. He again made another quick surveillance of the sea around him. The waves were calm, and he leaned over the side of the boat once more to splash water on his face and patted down his sparsely grown mustache and beard. Not finding any ships in the immediate area, he let out a frustrated sigh and lowered his head placing his forefingers against each side of his head slowly rubbing them in a continuous circular motion, whispering to himself and pausing only occasionally to scan the horizon.

The hours dragged on slowly for the young drifter, and the hot sun having risen in the sky began to drain him of his energy. Adding to his anxiety, he soon felt the gnawing pang of hunger and carefully took out a small piece of dried bread from his pocket and put it in his mouth, slowly dissolving small bits of it at a time to make it last longer. After the bread was gone he put more twigs in the pot and watched as they caught fire and burned. A breeze sent the smoke high in the air, and he narrowed his watering eyes to shield them from the smoke and glare of the sun reflecting off the water. When his eyes had cleared he picked up the charred stick, rubbed his fingers along the cooled burnt end then patted the darkened residue gently on parts of his face and hands. With one last look around, he finally closed his eyes taking in deep breaths of air. Soon his breathing became regular, then laying his head back he settled deep in the hull of the boat while waves gently rocked it from side to side. Moments later as he covered his weary face with his arm, he licked his dry lips and with thoughts of the sea soon nodded off to sleep.

Chapter 2

In a dream, a man walked alone on the shore of a deserted stretch of beach gazing out over the water as the sun faded beneath the distant horizon. While the day slowly slipped into its final hours before nightfall, the man stopped to watch the colors of the sunset and listened as rising mounds of blue water crested into white peaks and finally crashed into waves that rolled onto the sand only to quickly retreat back again. Comforted by the sound he stared for many minutes following each wave as it approached the shoreline coming within a foot's length of his boots before ebbing away. After some time he heard a woman's faint voice calling his name. He strained to hear it again and looked around knowing the voice came not from the beach. It was a voice he had heard many times before, a voice that called to him and spoke of daring adventures, of far away places, and untold treasure.

He heard her again and from the sea just beyond where the waves broke to roll toward the shore, he saw a dark mist form above the water. He stood still, his eyes fixated on the mist for he knew she was coming. Presently the mist parted, and she rose up from the water to come toward him, her bare feet gliding effortlessly over the waves until finally settling in the water a short distance from him. He could not speak for it was she, the bewitching enchantress of the sea who captivated his heart and came to him in dreams. She was his dark angel, his sea nymph, beautiful and serene and to love her was to follow her even to the deepest depths where among the mysteries of the water, she laid claim to both his body and soul.

Her face was pale as glimmering moonlight, her eyes blue as the sea. Her hair was long, dark and wild, her lips full and moist and turned up in a secret, subtle smile. Her long, black gown clung to her generous curves as she sensuously moved her body and beckoned him with her arms. The wind suddenly blew against her raising her gown and exposing shapely legs of softness and strength. It flowed through her sleeves, and she closed her eyes moving her arms out to the side where the wind filled the dark fabric as it billowed out behind her.

"I am here, my love. Come to me," she called out softly.

The man walked into the shallow water toward her then watched as she came closer and pressed against him with glistening lips parted awaiting his kiss, her seductive eyes tempting him with love and passion. Putting his arms around her, he leaned down to run his lips along the silky smoothness of her neck and became enraptured by the scent of jasmine in her hair. He gently pushed her hair from her shoulder and from drops of water that had trickled down to wet her skin, he tasted the salty sea. She brushed her lips against his ear and whispered to him.

"Come with me and sail me to the ends of the world. Give me wind and spray from the sea, and the sun to warm me after rain. Walk at night within my shadows while I bathe in moonlight, and when at last you settle down to sleep, lay your head against me as I gently rock you into blissful dreams. Awaken me in the morning with the promise of adventure, then run your hands along my curves and guide me to destinations unknown. Love me, cherish me, protect me from those who would harm me. Never forsake me, for I am yours as you are mine. Bound to each other, I am your mistress… forever."

Seduced by her words, the man held her close and felt her tremble in his arms. He raised her face and gazed into her eyes, where enthralled by her beauty, he succumbed to her charms. She was his destiny, his passion for freedom, and his reason for living.

"For life and beyond…," he whispered and pressed his lips against hers, soft and tender. She purred, then after a moment he moved his face along her cheek, "my sweet… "

"Captain!" Someone called his name from far away.

"…Pearl," he sighed and focused once more on the woman, but the intrusive sound of the other voice interrupted them, and she began to quickly fade away. Her skin lost its silky texture, and the fragrance in her hair soon became that of musty bedding.

"Captain! Captain Sparrow!"

"Wh…what?"

"Captain, are ye awake, sir?" the first mate called out while quietly knocking on the door.

"I am now," Jack drowsily answered and opened his eyes to see his arms wrapped around his pillow in a loving embrace with its coarse linen cover rubbing against his cheek. With a sigh, he closed them again with a desperate yet hopeless attempt to recapture the memory of his dream. Frustrated with his inability to do so, he just lay in his bunk aboard the Black Pearl and listened to the creak of the floorboards as the ship's hull parted the Caribbean waves beneath him. A new day awaited him and his crew, and he thought of the day's upcoming activities.

The men had grown weary from their latest voyage beyond the island of Barbados with little booty to lay claim to. In a day or so they would be docking in the little town of Gilley's Rock, hidden in the eastern end of the Caribbean providing sailors with a well-deserved rest. He hoped this would lessen the tension they were feeling as rumors among the crew spoke of the return to these waters of the dreaded Raven and her notorious captain, William Hawkins, also known as Hawk, an alleged and dubious descendant of the pirate and slave trader Sir John Hawkins. Jack had good reason to stay clear of this scoundrel for he had beat Hawk out of some treasure many years ago in a wager, and Hawk swore he would get even one day. With a quick shudder at that memory, Jack turned over in his bunk and was soon thinking of what awaited them in Gilley's Rock. Another quick knock on his door suddenly broke his concentration.

"Go away," he mumbled quietly under his breath and pulled the pillow over his head.

"Captain, you must come. There's a small boat off in the distance, and smoke comin' from it. We need orders, sir." announced the mate.

With a deep sigh Jack threw off the pillow and lazily rose from his bunk grabbing his hat. A few sluggish moments later he swaggered on deck yawning and took the scope from the hands of his first mate, Joshamee Gibbs. Looking in the direction of smoke rising from what seemed a small, deserted fishing boat, Jack called out to the helmsman.

"Bring 'er around, Jonesy, and set a course to see what's there and why she's smokin'!"

"Aye, Cap'n," replied the navigator as he turned the wheel of the helm. Jack took another long look through the scope and shook his head.

"Ye woke me up fer this?" he grumbled to his first mate. "Ye have no idea what I gave up to see this grand spectacle." Gibbs shrugged his shoulders with an apologetic smile.

The Black Pearl quickly changed course in the direction of the small, drifting boat. As the ship came nearer the young drifter heard shouts and slowly opened his eyes. He peered over the side of the boat and relieved to see the black vessel coming toward him, immediately stood up in the boat waving his arms. Wanting to make sure he was seen, he stepped higher up on the bench seat, but waves caused by the approaching ship soon rocked the small boat, and he lost his balance. Within moments the young man fell into the water. Jack watched with amused interest and laughed to himself as the boy thrashed about in his efforts to swim to the ship.

"Heave to, Mr. Gibbs," he commanded, "and bring the landlubbin' babe aboard before he drowns 'imself."

Jack leaned a bit over the side of the ship and watched as several of his men dove into the water with a rope. As the boy swam closer they were soon able to reach out and pull him in. After tying the rope securely around his chest, they hoisted him up and over the side of the ship, where they dropped him roughly on the hard wooden deck. Other men helped him to his feet.

"He's just a boy," Jack commented to himself, then chuckled, "I can't wait to hear his story." He called out to his first mate. "Well, Mr. Gibbs?"

"He's fine, sir," Gibbs yelled back as he helped the last crewmember climb back over the side. "Took in too much water, but he's alright." Jack nodded as Gibbs came toward him.

"Very well, Mr. Gibbs, dry 'im off and when he's ready, bring 'im to me!" Jack ordered, turning on his heel and walking away. After taking a few steps, he turned once again to his first mate with a puzzled look on his face.

"So, what was he cookin' there? Any food?" Jack grinned eager for a taste.

"Twigs, sir," Gibbs answered shrugging his shoulders. Disappointed, Jack shook his head and turned again to leave. As he approached the door to his quarters, he called out to his men.

"Resume course, Jonesy, and Carlos, you and the other men... make haste away and get back to yer duties! We still have a long way to go."

Jack closed the door behind him and went to sit down at the table where he leaned over to pour himself what was left of his bottle of rum. He waited for his first mate to bring him the boy and was soon laughing to himself thinking how ridiculous the boy looked before they pulled him out of the water. He slowly swallowed his drink, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes. After a few moments he opened them again and furrowed his brow with a curious thought.

"Twigs?"

Now aboard the Black Pearl and left alone in the crew's quarters, the young man dried himself off with a worn, ragged cloth he received from Mr. Gibbs. He looked around then checked his belt and was grateful that his small, leather pouch had not been pilfered in his rescue and that he still had his knife securely tucked in his boot. He next took out the shiny metal box from his pouch and brought it up to his face. He looked at himself in the reflection, slowly turning it in his hand and inspecting every part of his face. With the box in one hand he touched his skin with the other, running his fingers gently over the faded charred smudges and patting his mustache and short beard. After putting the box away, he took inventory of his wet and sticky clothes and in spite of all he endured in the water, the bandana he wore on his head was surprisingly still in place. He breathed a sigh of relief and took a long drink of water that had been placed there for him, then sat on the stairs for a few minutes trying to calm his nerves and figure out his next course of action. He could not turn back now, he thought, and closed his eyes gathering courage to proceed with his plan. Once he was ready, he adjusted his wet clothes and cautiously stepped up to the main deck. Seeing the stranger emerge into the afternoon sunlight, Mr. Gibbs quickly strolled over to his side and presented himself.

"Well, young feller, I see ye've recovered from yer dunk in the sea. I'm Joshamee Gibbs, first mate aboard this sailin' ship, the Black Pearl, under the command of Captain Jack Sparrow."

"My name is… Rafael," replied the young man as he stretched forth his hand. "I'm grateful for your hospitality and for saving my life."

"And yer surname, boy?"

"Whit… uh…" Rafael quickly looked down at the deck, "man. Whitman."

"Whitman. Are ye sure?" Gibbs asked for he noticed the hesitation. Rafael nodded his head, and Gibbs smiled as he shook his hand. He was immediately surprised at the strength in the young man's hand for it seemed rather small in size and had well-trimmed nails, but after looking him up and down Gibbs finally put his hand on Rafael's shoulder.

"Hmmmm… so ye say yer name is… Rafael?"

"Yes, but why do you ask?" inquired the boy with suspicion.

"Oh, nothin' really," Gibbs replied with a grin. "I just know the captain's goin' to love that name. So, if you'd just follow me now, the captain's waitin' to see ye. Aye, but don't ye be nervous none, lad. Not everyone the captain fishes out of the water becomes his prisoner..." Then with a sly grin he leaned in close and whispered, "only the ones he don't throw back into the sea."

Rafael stared at him with widened eyes and open mouth. Having achieved the response he sought, Gibbs started to laugh and soon took hold of the boy's arm to escort him to the captain. As they walked to his quarters, Rafael looked up at the sails to see what flag, if any, was flying but saw none. He also looked at the crew and saw them in all manner of dress, so not sure what kind of ship he was on he decided to engage the first mate in some light conversation. He was about to speak when the ship rocked to one side knocking the boy off balance. Gibbs quickly reached out and held him in a firm, steady grip.

"Boy, looks like ye ain' got yer sea legs yet, but that'll come in due time."

Rafael gave him a weak smile, and they resumed their walk to the captain's cabin.

"Is this a pirate ship, sir?" the boy innocently asked.

Gibbs almost choked on his spit. He stopped suddenly and turned to look the boy squarely in the eye. With a stern brow, he once again leaned in close to the boy's face.

"Aye, matey," he whispered furtively looking around with one raised eyebrow. "Have ye n'er heard stories of the Black Pearl and her captain, Jack Sparrow, the great legendary pirate captain of the seven seas?"

Rafael's eyes lit up with delight.

"No, I haven't, sir," he replied and bowed his head to show respect. They continued toward the captain's quarters, and Rafael ventured again to ask the first mate a question.

"Mr. Gibbs, if you're a pirate and this is a real pirate ship then you surely must know Joe Hooper." Gibbs stopped once more shaking his head and turned to face the boy, this time with a big scowl on his face.

"Big Joe? Aye, I've heard stories 'bout him. But trust me, laddie, he's not of our kind. Bad pirate, and we n'er wanna cross paths with 'im...ever. Now, would ye be having any more questions, lad, for I'm sure I'm 'bout out of answers?"

"No, sir."

"Are ye sure now?"

Not wanting to offend, Rafael put his hands together and bowed his head slightly to offer his apology. Staring at his gesture with a surprised and puzzled look, Gibbs shook his head and mumbled under his breath.

"Just like Jack."

Jack sat in his quarters and picked up his bottle of rum only to remember he had already finished the last of it. Annoyed, he leaned back and continued to think about the young man they had rescued, wondering why he was out in the water like that. The small boat was not like those on the larger ships, rather a fishing boat like those he had often seen tied to docks in fishing villages, which could only mean that the boy was not from any ship passing through the area. After a few moments he heard the anticipated knock on his door.

"Enter," Jack responded and sat straight in his chair. The door opened, and Gibbs stood in the doorway with the young man, still a bit wet and bedraggled.

"Captain, this here is Rafael Whitman," announced the first mate, and the boy quickly bowed from the waist.

Jack motioned for Rafael to come in, and Gibbs turned to leave closing the door behind him. The boy hesitantly took a few steps forward but suddenly stopped when Jack promptly rose from his chair and slowly walked toward him. Jack eyed the stranger closely, for there before him stood a slightly built young man a little shorter than himself. The boy's head was almost entirely covered by a black bandana tied at the back of the neck. With the exception of several dirty smudges, his face had delicate features with a reddish hue from the sun and below what could only be the makings of his first mustache were somewhat pouty lips. Jack was quickly reminded of pompous, young men he had heard about in certain royal courts of Europe with their powdered wigs and faces, displaying prissy attitudes and mannerisms.

With that thought Jack laughed to himself and could not help but wonder about him. He continued to note the boy's clothing consisting of a brown vest, tied in the front covering a dingy white shirt. His black breeches were secured with a belt, from which hung a small, brown leather pouch. Showing some signs of previous repair, his boots were worn with a small metal piece attached near each heel, and within one boot Jack noticed the top of a single knife. Jack made a point to walk around the back of the boy, then came back to face him and chuckled again.

Rafael felt uneasy with the captain's scrutiny and subtle snickering, however he held his tongue and allowed Jack to thoroughly look him over. He reminded himself that this was just part of his mission, and he needed to follow it through even at the expense of being ridiculed. Those few moments also gave the boy a chance to size the captain up as well. He stared at his ruggedly, handsome face with intense, dark eyes and a full, dark mustache. He had several gold teeth that glistened when he opened his mouth to speak or smile and a dark beard a bit longer than his, set with two braids with several beads tied into each.

Equally amusing were the beads, coins, and other flashy trinkets tied into the captain's long, black hair, which hung down past his shoulders. A very unusual style indeed, but it did seem to suit his peculiar, and as Rafael suspected, eccentric personality. Hanging down on the side of his head keeping his hair and trinkets in place was a red scarf securely tied around his head. His shirt was white with long, puffy sleeves, which opened down in the front exposing a well-tanned chest. His vest and breeches were of grayish-blue, and around his waist he wore a wide, brown leather belt accompanied by a long, faded, red and white stripped sash, tied around his waist in a bow with frayed ends that hung down past the top of his boots.

Narrowing his eyes to look the boy over one last time, Jack reached out to touch the leather pouch hanging on Rafael's belt and felt a sting when the boy slapped his hand.

"Ow," cried Jack with a puzzled look. "Stop that!"

"Sorry, Captain," Rafael replied. "But these are my personal things, and I would prefer not to have them handled." He glanced around the room and asked, "Am I a prisoner?"

"Wh… of course not," Jack answered, rubbing his hand as he leaned closer to the young man. "We're not cutthroats, boy, just a group of, well… uh, let's just say adventurous sailors scratchin' out a meager livin' off the sea, and wherever else we can find it. Savvy? Besides, what would be the bloody point of makin' ye a prisoner?" Quickly looking him up and down again he asked, "Are ye worth anything?"

Rafael looked at him quizzically and shrugged his shoulders.

"So, you won't throw me back in the water?"

Jack stared at him in confusion and finally put his hand on the boy's forehead to check for fever. Rafael was surprised by the captain's action yet waited for his answer.

"Just exactly how long were ye sittin' out there in that sun?"

"But Mr. Gibbs said..."

"He was just playin' with ye, son, so relax!"

Jack took a step back and pursed his lips not knowing what to make of him. The boy was certainly naïve, and though he had a youthful beard and mustache, he was rather effeminate and had not yet acquired the deeper voice of a man. Jack finally turned and walked to the chair behind his large table. As he sat down again and nosily propped his feet up on the table, he narrowed his eyes and stared at the boy a moment before proceeding to ask him some questions.

"So, tell me, boy! What kind of name is…Rafael, and where are ye from?"

"Actually, Captain, I'm not a boy. I'm almost nineteen and the name is Dutch, although I was born in England. I never knew my real parents, and as a small child I was put in an orphanage outside of London. Life was hard growing up especially with so many others, having very little food and tattered clothes. When I was older I ran away. I made my way to Brighton, where I worked a few years in the shipyard learning about ships and sailing. I often heard tales of adventure and treasure on the high seas, so when I turned eighteen and the time was right, I stowed away on the next cargo ship headed for the Caribbean."

The boy's response seemed honest enough and made him think of his own painful youth, however, wanting to forget that memory, Jack continued with his inquiry.

"How'd ye come to be stranded in the middle of nowhere in that wee boat cookin' twigs and such? Or were ye just tryin' to stow away in that boat as well? The truth now, boy… or whatever you are!"

Though Jack tried to be serious, Rafael could not resist laughing. Jack smiled as well, for he had to admit it sounded humorous.

"Well then, sir," Rafael replied with a big grin, "Truth is I wanted to be a pirate, so I stole that wee boat in the hopes of being picked up by a pirate ship where I would learn to raid, pillage, plunder, and steal. And lucky for me you arrived in time, not only to rescue me from almost certain death but also to make me one of your own. I do thank you, only I never dreamed I'd be picked up by the legendary Jack Sparrow."

"Captain Jack Sparrow, if ye don't mind," Jack corrected him.

"Of course, my apologies, Captain," the boy replied. "I'm at your service." Rafael quickly bowed at the waist with a rolling motion of his hand that started at the forehead, then the chest, and finally out to the side.

Jack rolled his eyes and shaking his head, stood up.

"Ye sure ye're not one of them prissy French boys?" he asked mockingly. "Cause I won't tolerate havin' any of them on m' ship!"

"Absolutely not, my Captain."

"So, ye aimin' to become a pirate, eh?" Jack inquired with a sly grin.

"Yes sir, Captain," the boy responded with great enthusiasm. "Just like you."

"Like me? Hmmm. So, ye've… heard of me?" Jack felt flattered by the boy's comment and immediately stuck out his chest and held his head high.

"I heard you were the greatest pirate ever, a legend. I only want to learn from the best."

"Pirating ain't a game, nor is it fer boys who think they're men," Jack warned and pointed a finger at him. "We'll have t' see about you, and I shall call you 'boy' until ye prove otherwise. And remember this… no one gets a free ride. There are two rules ye best learn if ye're thinkin' of sailin' under the command of Captain Jack Sparrow. Everyone works and follows the code."

"The code, sir?"

"Pirate code. Ye wanted to be a pirate, well by Jove, ye shall. Now go and send me Mr. Gibbs! He'll later instruct ye on the code, and what ye need to do."

The boy gave him an elated smile, and Jack eyed him with a slight nod. With a quick bow of his head, Rafael left the captain's cabin in search of the first mate. Jack waited a few minutes, amused by the boy's admiration for him and why not, he thought. He obviously was a bright young man, full of energy and a desire to 'learn from the best'. With this boost to his ego Jack also left his cabin and not waiting for Gibbs, joined Jonesy at the helm. Looking out over the crew, he watched as a few men handled the sails while others hauled in nets cast earlier in search of fresh food for the evening meal. Presently Gibbs came to report the boy had a hammock. After a few laughs and brief conversation about their new guest, Jack left to return once again to his cabin but not before ordering another bottle of rum.

Watching the sunset over the western horizon, another ship's captain leaned against the side of his ship deep in thought. It had been a long time since he and his crew had sailed the waters of the Caribbean, but they still knew the islands quite well. They had grown restless and tired of raiding the coastal towns up and down the Atlantic. The British had also sent many of their military vessels to patrol the waters and protect the many beleaguered towns. As a result profits from looting and gambling had dramatically decreased, so the captain turned his ship southward in the hopes of calmer waters and more profitable endeavors.

Now the crew was ready to make berth at one of the local island towns and stay until it was time to venture out again. Not many towns in the Caribbean catered to the likes of pirates and buccaneers, however Gilley's Rock was one of just a few which became a haven for them. Though smaller but equally disreputable as Tortuga, it was totally secluded and farther off the normal scouting routes of the British patrol ships, a mere rat's hole hidden from the world and known only to those who needed to know. Here pirates drank their tankards of ale and rum and boasted about their many high adventures around the world and on the seven seas. So it was Gilley's Rock to where the captain and his crew set their sights and voracious appetites. As the captain thought about his plans for the voyage, a large, burly man came up from behind.

"Captain Hawkins, the men are ready to eat… with your permission, sir," he announced waiting anxiously for a response.

Without turning to look at him, the captain raised his hand to signal his approval. The man left and went to join the others as the captain wandered over to the helm. Taking control of the wheel, he dismissed the helmsman to take his evening meal. While he stood alone on deck he gazed out at the open sea. Flickers of pink and orange danced on the water as the sun sank lower in the sky. The captain's thoughts drifted back a year or so ago to a rowdy tavern on the banks of the James River. There he heard a rumor about the demise of Cutler Beckett and the defeat of the East India Trading Company by the pirate lords of the Brethren Court, but more importantly that the Black Pearl had been reclaimed by her former captain, Jack Sparrow. He had not heard anything since then and wondered what became of his former first mate and the Black Pearl.

"So it goes on, Jack," he whispered to himself for he knew some day, if Jack was still alive, their paths would cross again. The captain smiled, and as the first stars appeared in the early evening sky, he hummed a familiar tune and felt the soft, evening breeze gently blow across his face. Meanwhile some of the crew finished their meal and came back on the main deck. He handed the helm over to his first mate and went to his quarters to await his dinner. When his food was brought in Hawk leisurely sat at his table and ate alone while his mind wandered with thoughts of previous adventures and those still yet to come.

After finishing his meal, he took out a map to check their location. Gilley's Rock was only another day's journey away and not too soon, for the captain was anxious to hear the latest rumors and gossip from sailors on the island. Sending out his small band of spies would certainly provide him with the information he needed, and he settled back down into his chair to relax and consider his strategy of action for the next few days.

It was early evening when the Black Pearl dropped anchor in a secluded inlet off the coast of a small island. The hills and cliffs that rose up from the beach protected the inlet from high winds that would blow in from the ocean especially at night. Lack of wind meant calmer waves allowing the men to sleep more peacefully. Jack was familiar with the island and had been there many times before with his crew. They knew of the many trees and bushes that bore fruit and of a freshwater stream flowing down near the shore, cascading off a small, steep cliff into a small pool and from there trickling off into the open sea. In the morning, the crew would go ashore to fill up empty water barrels and search for bananas and berries that grew wild near the banks of the stream. It had been a while since they lasted tasted some good fresh meat, a swig of ale, and a kiss from a pretty wench, but until they reached their destination at Gilley's Rock, fish, hardtack, bananas and berries would have to do, and water would have to quench their thirst in place of the ale and rum that normally would.

The evening sky was clear, and moonlight shone down on the upper main deck. After the evening meal, several lanterns were lit as darkness descended upon them. Several men began to play cards and throw dice while others tried to rest in their hammocks. Occasionally someone would climb on deck for fresh air or to cool off from the heat of the closely confined quarters.

Rafael was unable to sleep and though he was exhausted from the day's activities, his mind was too full of thoughts of what had transpired that day, and more importantly, what would transpire in the days ahead. Yet try as he wanted he could not help but think of the captain he had met today, Jack Sparrow. The man had definitely made an impression on him, and he knew he needed Jack to help fulfill his quest. With this thought in mind, he decided to go up to the main deck to see what, if anything was going on. After all, he was now a member of the crew. He wanted to fit in with the men but knew they were wary of him, so if he wanted to get their acceptance he would have to do something soon. Rafael looked around the deck and saw a few men mulling around with nothing to do, and as expected, not paying attention to him.

"So this is what pirates do when their work is done?" he thought to himself. "No blade sharpening or pistol cleaning?" Rafael made a mental note to ask Mr. Gibbs about that later. He looked around the deck hoping to find the captain and saw his silhouette near the helm next to one of the crew. As he walked over to the steps, Jack heard him and turned to look at him.

"Captain, sir, may I have a word with you?" Rafael asked with some reserve. Jack came down to the main deck and motioned for Rafael to walk with him toward the front of the ship.

"Sure, boy," Jack responded with a grin. "The night is young, and I could do with some light-hearted conversation. So tell me, how was your first day as a pirate? Honestly!"

Rafael thought for a moment, then with a slight grin gave him an answer.

"Honestly, sir? Rather uneventful actually, in fact, somewhat disappointing. I was really hoping to learn some good and valuable pirating skills, but so far I've learned very little, and I'm thinking I just may have to teach you and your men some of mine."

Intrigued by his response Jack furrowed his brow, amused by the idea that the lad thought he had something to teach him, a seasoned pirate. To appease his curiosity Jack decided to find out more about the presumptuous young man.

"And what skills do ye have to boast about, m' good man?"

"Well, sir, I do believe I'm handy with a knife," the boy stated and immediately reached down to take his knife out of his boot and held it in his hand to show the captain. Jack took the knife and examined it closely, admiring the inlaid silver design on the black handle. Nodding his approval, he looked around for a target and soon found one on the door of his quarters at the other end of the ship.

"Yonder on the door of m' cabin is a knot in the wood," he said and pointed at it. "See how close ye can get to the center mark."

Rafael looked and narrowed his eyes, just barely able to see the target to which the captain referred. Being somewhat dark and at such a far distance added difficulty to the request for sure, and he wondered if he should accept the captain's challenge. He did not want to draw additional attention to himself, but he had to fulfill his mission, and for that purpose he needed this ship, the acceptance of the crew, and most of all, Jack Sparrow.

"Agreed, Captain," Rafael announced confidently with a big grin.

Word quickly spread that Jack had challenged the boy to hit a target with his knife. With nothing else to do and in need of a little diversion, the crew nosily headed for the main deck to enjoy the contest. Though they would have preferred to bet on the outcome, it was against the code to wager money while at sea, and their few possessions were hardly worth the gamble. More torches were lit, and soon Rafael was keenly aware that he had to win this challenge if he were to gain any respect among his fellow mates. Jack was impressed with the young lad and noticed the men started to gather in anticipation of the upcoming event. He was glad they were amused with the situation for they certainly needed something to entertain them after this latest voyage. Finally he motioned with his hands for the men to be silent and spoke up for all to hear.

"Listen up, mates. The newest member of our crew has accepted m' challenge to throw his little knife at the knot on the far door of m' quarters." Then turning to Rafael he asked, "What d' ye say, boy? Care to go against the code and make a small wager with me?" Rafael smiled and nodded in agreement. "Excellent! If ye lose, ye'll be givin' me…. say, all that be in yer little pouch," Jack snickered and poked him gently in the ribs.

"And if I win, Captain," Rafael loudly retorted, "you will give me…. your gold teeth."

A roar of laughter went out from the crew, and Jack, not ever wanting to be outdone, forced a laugh and confident with the odds, stuck out his hand.

"Agreed," he declared, and Rafael immediately took his hand and shook it.

The crew parted sides giving the boy a wide area in which to throw. Rafe paused a few moments to look once again at the target and the faces of the crew who now anxiously waited for him to make his throw. He took the knife from Jack and with a two-finger salute, focused on the target, aimed, and quickly threw the knife. In lightning speed the blade pierced the air with a sharp whizzing sound and finally settled in the middle of the knot. The men were stunned, but after a brief moment of silence loudly cheered in awe of the little guy and began surrounding him with congratulatory pats on the back. Rafael felt a swelling of pride and relief and with an awkward smile allowed the men to make a fuss over him.

Shocked but equally impressed, Jack stared at the distant target with his mouth open then watched as his men swarmed around the boy laughing and waving their hats and fists. At last he smiled as well, and his few gold teeth glistened in the light of the torches. As the loud cheers gradually diminished into quiet murmurs, Rafael strutted over to the captain and waited to receive some well-earned praise from him. Jack, being ever mindful of the terms of the wager, applauded him and raised his hands to signal the crew to settle down.

"Now ye know men, anyone can have a lucky throw, why even m'self, but the mark of true skill comes from bein' able to hit the target again. So I say, let us see if our young friend is as good as his first throw."

Jack turned to look at Rafael with raised eyebrows and flashing gold teeth. The boy slowly shook his head and looked at the enthusiastic faces of the crew who waited anxiously for him to make another throw. Gibbs presently brought him his knife, and the men settled down once more. After staring at the target for a long moment, Rafael glanced over at Jack again, who with a confident smirk on his face stood by the side with his fists on his hips swaying slightly and watching his crew. The boy stared back at the door and after focusing hard at it, brought the knife up and quickly threw it once more at the target. All eyes stared as it whizzed through the air again and struck the very spot as the first time. Another long moment of silence went by before Gibbs went over to check on it.

"Dead center again!" he loudly called out, and with awestruck expressions and mouths agape everyone turned to look at Rafael. Jack stared at the target as well though with a sullen look on his face, not wanting to believe the boy had actually hit the mark again and won the wager. Reluctantly accepting defeat, he walked over to congratulate him.

"Excellent throw, m' good man. Sharp eye and great skill or whatever they say. I knew ye could do it all the time." He patted Rafael on the head and hoping to escape the inevitable, took a half turn and began to swagger toward his quarters. Suddenly someone boldly called out from the clamorous crowd of men.

"What about dem gold teeth?"

With eyes widened with surprise, Jack stopped in his tracks and grimaced. That which he had hoped would be forgotten was not. Taking in a deep breath, he spun around to face the men and waited as the boy walked over to him with an amused grin on his face. Standing close in front of the captain Rafael looked into his dark eyes.

"You may keep your gold teeth, Captain Sparrow," he said in a low voice so the others would not hear and with a subtle air of self-satisfaction, "in exchange for your cooperation in a small matter I'll discuss with you later."

Jack nodded in agreement, and as they shook hands he wondered what the boy had in mind. Rafael finally turned to the men who were anxiously waiting for the chance to extract Jack's gold teeth and motioned for them to quiet down.

"Mates, I thank you for your praise," he announced loudly, "but since the wager is mine, I've decided to cancel it." Undertone whispers and murmurs rose from the crowd, and Rafael waved his arms to get their attention. "Listen men, I'm sure you would agree tis far better to have our captain with a full set of teeth, gold or otherwise, than to see his… waggish and intimidating smile without them."

Jack quickly flashed his famous grin, while the crew groaned and grumbled in half-hearted disappointment at being cheated out of the farcical opportunity. Hearing them, Jack approached them with arms waving above his head.

"Alright, ye scalawags, be off with ye now. Enough fer tonight. Get below for we've a long day tomorrow if we're to get to Gilley's Rock by nightfall."

With another loud burst of shouts and cheers, the crew doused their torches and slowly made their way back to the lower deck under the supervision of Mr. Gibbs. Jack watched as they left the main deck leaving him and Rafael alone after which he turned to look at the boy. Though amused by the captain's humorous predicament, Rafael wisely resisted the urge to gloat and waited for Jack to speak.

"Thanks for sparing m' teeth, son, and I shall do as I promised. But tell me! How does an orphan who grows up in an orphanage and works in a shipyard learn how to handle a blade like that? Perhaps in the back alleys?"

Rafael paused for a moment then turning his head away from him, glanced at the floor.

"Sorry, Captain Sparrow. I can't say at this time. Just know that I can defend myself if needed." He raised his head to look at the captain and further said, "And now, sir, to the subject of my reward. I have two questions for you."

Jack waited with curious anticipation and after several moments motioned with his hands for Rafael to hurry up with it. The boy nodded in agreement and asked his first question.

"Where can I find Joe Hooper?"

Jack was shocked by the question and took a step back to compose himself. Big Joe Hooper was not exactly a name he ever wanted to hear and wondered why Rafael, a stranger to these parts and barely a man, would be involved with the likes of that dreaded scum pirate. After all, the man was the worst scoundrel known among men, a marauder, a murderous scab who ravished and maimed with no real conscience at all. Not an honorable pirate as Jack regarded himself. No, Joe Hooper was indeed the devil incarnate. Jack winced at the thought of him, but as he was bound by the wager he reluctantly resigned himself to settling the bet.

"Hooper is first mate aboard the Raven, a nasty pirate ship under the command of a man known as Hawk. But last I heard, they were raiding and plundering the coastal towns of Georgia, South Carolina and even north of there." Purposely ignoring the rumors he had recently heard, Jack turned away from the boy and continued, "Not likely to be anywhere in this area."

Stunned, Rafael stared blankly at him, and when Jack looked at him again he sensed his disappointment. Still very curious as to why the great interest in Hooper, Jack put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"How is it then that you've come to know the likes of Big Joe Hooper, the scourge of all pirates everywhere and beyond? Ye're not by any chance… his offspring, are ye?"

"Not hardly!" Rafael was stunned by the question and gave him a stern look.

"Oh good. Though it not be the first time I made the acquaintance of the lost son of a pirate. But if ye're not related by blood, then why the interest?"

Rafael sadly lowered his head and slowly walked toward the side of the ship. Devastated to think he had come all this way for nothing, he fought to keep his emotions in check then finally turned to face the captain.

"You might say blood is the nature of our relationship. I… had a brief encounter with him some years back," he replied then paused a moment. "I can only say that it is of the greatest importance that I find him again."

Jack narrowed his eyes and though not satisfied with Rafael's explanation, he had no choice but to accept it, at least for now.

"Sorry, mate….well then, be off with ye now to yer hammock. Get rest while ye can," he quickly said flashing a grin. He turned to go to his quarters and had only taken a few steps when he heard Rafael call out to him.

"Excuse me, Captain, but I, uh, still have another question as per our wager."

Jack rolled his eyes and still grinning, turned to face Rafael once more.

"Of course ye do. I knew that," he responded walking back to him. "But nary a question more 'bout Joe Hooper. Savvy?"

"Yes, Captain. Well then, uh…," the boy hesitated. "Why do you never call me by my name, Rafael?"

Jack put both his hands on the shoulders of the young man and leaned down to look him in the eyes.

"Ahh, I'm glad ye asked, for I don't fancy the name m'self. Takes too long to say it… Raf-a-el," Jack slowly sounded it out. "Rafael, batten down the hatch! Rafael, fetch me more rum!" Jack stuck out his tongue. "Nah, too long. Besides, it's rather a sissy name fer a pirate. Ye need a good, short, manly name. Ye know, something easy to say and not associated with… well feathers and such." He brought his hand up to his head and made several outward circles in the air to signify plumes of a hat as he thought again of the French court and prissy, effeminate men.

"Feathers, Captain?" asked Rafael a bit puzzled, "You mean like what birds have, you know like a ... sparrow?"

Jack stepped back from him and noticed the mischievous grin on the boy's face. He stared at him a moment thinking of how to respond, then shook his head and quietly chuckled.

"Hmm... so, ye think ye're clever, don't ye?" Rafe shrugged his shoulders as Jack continued. "Well, I reckon ye are, and ye almost remind me of m'self. But to get back to the matter at hand, I've decided to call you…Rafe. That's short for Rafael. Now… that's a real man's name and a good pirate name as well. So, what d' ye say to that… Rafe?"

Rafael was astounded by this new turn of events but when he considered his new name, he decided it was a good choice after all. He actually did not care what he was called for a name was such a minor point of concern considering why he was there and what he had to do, so as long as the captain was agreeable with it, he might as well oblige him. Having no objections he finally concurred with a slight nod of his head to show his approval.

"You are wise, my captain. A good pirate name if ever there be. I do thank you." He bowed his head and knocked his heels together causing the metal pieces on his boots to click.

"Hold it right there, Rafe!" Jack ordered. "Enough with all that bowing and clicking of heels. Ye're a pirate now, not a bloody… musketeer, so if ye're quite finished with the questions, can we please get some sleep? And don't forget, now that ye've got a real pirate name I expect ye to be up early and ready to learn how to act like a real pirate."

"Yes, sir," Rafe replied as he walked to Jack's cabin door to retrieve his knife. "Good night, Captain."

Jack acknowledged him with a nod and before going to his own quarters watched as the boy went down to the lower deck. There were still many long hours left before sunrise, but Rafe lay in his newly acquired hammock unable to sleep for he was restless and uncomfortable swaying side to side with the movement of the ship and was not used to sleeping with a group of loudly snoring men. He tried to focus his thoughts on his mission, but images of Joe Hooper came to his mind repeatedly until he felt the sting of tears in his eyes. Now with the thought that Hooper was nowhere in the area, he fought back feelings of deep despair.

Jack also lay in his bunk unable to sleep. He laughed to himself thinking about the boy's wager with him over his gold teeth, and how the crew had a howling good time over it as well. Still he just could not stop thinking about this mysterious boy, Rafe, and the more he thought about him, the more questions he had. Who was he, and what secret did he have? How did such a naïve young man become so skilled with a knife? What was in that pouch, and more importantly, how did he come to know an ornery cuss like Big Joe Hooper? Although Jack did not want to admit it, he was beginning to genuinely like the little guy and felt almost protective of him. After all, he justified to himself, he was the newest member of his crew, for however long that would be. Smiling to himself he closed his eyes and turned over in his bunk. Soon as the waves gently rocked the ship, the rhythmic creaking of the wooden floorboard finally lulled him to sleep.

Chapter 3

Gibbs woke up with the early light of dawn, and while the others still slept he went up to the main deck and as usual found the night guard asleep at his post. Shaking his head he kicked the guard's leg and quickly woke him up. After a brief scolding, he sent him down to the crew's deck and proceeded to inspect the ship himself. Finding nothing amiss he descended back to the lower deck to wake Gabe, the cook. The men would certainly be hungry and needed their strength to accomplish their work for the trip to Gilley's Rock. As he came back up the steps to the main deck, he walked toward Jack's quarters where his eye caught sight of the knot in the wood where the boy had thrown his knife and hit the mark.

The first mate chuckled as he remembered the laughter of his mates when the boy won the captain's wager, and Jack almost lost his gold teeth. That was the first time he could remember that Jack actually lost a wager. He always won even if he resorted to cheating, but this time there was no getting out of it. The boy had simply won fair and square. Oddly enough, the boy was just what the ship needed, some new and fresh blood. Here was someone who wanted to be a part of them, to learn the code, earn the fellowship and respect of the crew, and learn strict discipline and total allegiance to the captain and the ship. Though young and small in stature, the boy would in time grow into a man. He certainly had courage and spunk, and he did seem to know how to handle himself. Even Jack seemed to like him.

The sound of rustling in the cabins below caught his attention, and soon a few sleepy men came topside to breathe the cool morning air. As the heat from the morning sun began to dry the dew from the floorboards and sides, the ship began to come alive. Small boats were lowered to take some of the crew at a time to the island in search of fresh water and fruit. Fishing nets cast out the evening before were hoisted and emptied of any fish or crabs. While the cook prepared his usual pot of gruel, he set another pot of boiled fish to the side and waited for biscuits to be ready. Flames from the stove served to cook the food, and as the air carried the aroma of food to the hungry crew working on ship and shore, it also brought Jack out of his quarters with a hungry appetite. Rafe too was aroused by the smell of food and came up from the lower deck rubbing his eyes and yawning. He had not slept well for the air below was stifling warm and musty with the lingering odor of sweaty bodies, and with all the snoring, grunts, and other noises of his fellow mates, he hoped fresh air and a bite of food would enliven his spirit.

The last boat left for the island, and both Jack and Rafe were among the few who still needed to go ashore. Once on land the men quickly scattered in different directions to gather food and refresh themselves in the cool shade of the island trees. A few waded into the small pool and soaked their clothes and bodies as they sat or walked about in the water. Someone brought a small bucket of fine sand to the pool, and those who felt inclined could gently rub some of it in their hair, rinsing it afterward with the cool water. While somewhat crude in manner, the sand was abrasive and helped to strip away oil, dirt, and especially any bugs or lice that had accumulated and crawled around under their scarves and hats. Though the crew had no tendency for personal hygiene, some seemed more than willing to relieve themselves of itchy scalps and bodies. The men took turns enjoying the water and the opportunity to stretch their legs on dry land again. After a while with buckets full of fresh water and a few baskets of bananas and berries, the boats began to gradually return to the ship. As the men brought aboard the needed supplies, the cook handed them their bowls of gruel and fish, which they voraciously ate with the biscuits and freshly picked fruit.

Rafe had been watching the men as they washed in the pool. He was seemingly surprised to see how they scrubbed their hair, but grateful at the same time for the knowledge for after last night he too felt the need for a good cleaning. With only a few men left on the island Jack came to the pool, took off his boots, and waded in. He saw the boy standing off to the side and beckoned him to come in, but Rafe shyly declined and scooping up a handful of sand, walked up a path leading to the top of the ridge and waterfall. Once on top, Rafe saw the Black Pearl and several of the small boats moving toward it. He looked around to ensure he was alone and there in privacy took off his bandana allowing his dark hair to cascade down past his shoulders. He leaned down to take a sip of water then sat in the cool stream laying his head back until all his hair was wet. Afterward he began to massage the sand into his hair and scalp and upon rinsing, used some sand along the bank to gently scrub his clothes and skin. When all was done, he quickly wrung out his hair and shirt, wrapped his hair up in the bandana once more, and proceeded back down the path. He knew the heat of the day would quickly dry his clothes and the sooner the better for he did not want the wet clothes clinging to his body. Jack was just watching another group of men leave for the ship when he saw Rafe coming down the path.

"Oh, there you are. I guess ye're too good to join us since ye became a bloody hero last night," he remarked jokingly after noticing Rafe's wet clothes.

"Not at all, Captain. I wanted to see where the path led. When I came to the stream, I kinda slipped on some rocks and fell in."

"Did ye now?" Jack responded doubtfully. "Well, if ye think ye can manage it, grab some of them empty buckets, and let's get back to the ship."

Rafe complied and when all hands were back on the Black Pearl and accounted for, Jack gave orders to drop sail and raise the anchor. He was anxious to leave for he worried that smoke from the morning fire would attract any British patrol ships that just might be in the vicinity. Although that deceitful Cutler Beckett of the East India Company had died some time ago, there was still a high price set on the head of any pirate, even if he were a good man. It had been said that pirates were becoming a dying breed of men, but Jack Sparrow was determined not to be among them, at least not yet, not while he still had his wits and his ship.

A strong gust of wind caught the ship's sails, and she slowly began to move out toward the mouth of the inlet. Jack took over the wheel and leaned against it. The Pearl was his only love, his life. She was the breath in his lungs and the blood in his veins. He aspired to nothing more in life than just being her captain, and of course a legend. Though while satisfied with the occasional company of a woman he might chance to meet in the usual pirate haunts, he had long since gotten over being alone and the need to be loved and cared for. After all, he was not exactly the kind of man a woman would choose to settle down with and have a family, and that suited him just fine. However there was that time long ago before his pirating days when he briefly entertained the notion of love, but the girl he favored eventually spurned him for another. He swore he would never be hurt by love again, and like his father he set out for the open sea.

Suddenly and without warning, there appeared a ship from around the rocks where the inlet opened to the sea. The ship's bell sounded, and after quickly passing the wheel over to Jonesy, his helmsman, Jack grabbed his scope and ran to the bow of the ship with Gibbs following behind. He anxiously looked through the scope and after a few moments staggered back into the arms of his first mate.

"It's… the Raven," he gasped in total shock.

Not wanting to believe what he heard, Gibbs took the scope and confirmed that the ship now blocking the mouth of the inlet was indeed the master of all those who flew the banner of the skull and crossbones. With its full set of sails, that banner flew high for all to see, and there standing on it's upper deck were the ominous figures of Hawk and his first mate, Joe Hooper.

Across the inlet waters, other eyes were also looking through a scope at the Black Pearl. Soon the menacing voice of Captain Hawkins sneeringly spoke to his first mate.

"Well, well, Big Joe, what do we have here? Can it possibly be after all this time the Black Pearl in all her magnificent splendor?"

Hawk took off his black hat and in an unexpected act of cynical respect, gracefully bowed. Ironically, he had been dreaming of this moment for some time but did not think it would be this easy. But then again, he thought to himself, Jack Sparrow was at the helm. The captain laughed just thinking about his former first mate, and it tickled his imagination to suddenly have come upon him this way, trapping him in the inlet with no possible way of escape.

Hooper however was not in a humorous mood. He relished the moment, of course, but only as a means to an end, for if the Black Pearl was to sadly lose her beloved captain, who better than he was worthy to take over the ship. Joe smirked to himself and considered the opportunity for he had always wanted to command his own ship. He had been on the Raven for many profitable years and had fond memories of his many escapades, with the exception of that one unfinished raid in Savannah some years ago. With that thought in mind, he slowly brought a hand up to his cheek and ran a finger down the length of a scar he received as a result of that venture. He continued to gaze out across the water at the Black Pearl and casually thought to himself that the day was certainly turning into a pleasant and interesting one.

Fully understanding the consequences of their predicament, the men of the Pearl quickly looked to the captain for further orders. Not since his encounter with Davy Jones and his dreaded sea monster had Jack felt so alarmed and powerless. He slowly recovered from the shock of seeing the Raven and after regaining some composure, looked out at his men. Knowing full well they had to be ready for anything the Raven might do, he presently shouted out to them.

"All men to yer posts and arm yerselves!"

The crew scrambled to prepare for an attack, and the sound of the commotion brought Rafe up on deck. Confused by the crew's sudden alarming behavior he searched for Gibbs to ask what was happening and eventually found him at the weapons rack passing out swords and pistols to the crew. When he finally had a chance to inquire about the situation, Gibbs turned to the boy with labored breath.

"It's Hawk and the Raven. They've come back to these waters to settle an old score with the captain."

Rafe looked off the port side of the ship and saw the Raven positioned and ready to attack and seize its prey. It was an awesome sight to be sure for the ship was larger than the Black Pearl and had twice the men. Yet he did not quite understand. He remembered Jack saying just last night that the Raven was along the Atlantic coast, then suddenly he remembered another thing Jack had said, something far more important, more significant.

"Joe Hooper," he murmured to himself.

Immediately Rafe ran to look for Jack for if the captain was the reason for an attack, Rafe certainly wanted to be close by. Glancing back at the Raven he suddenly became fearful for the crew, the captain, and himself. He knew these pirates to be vicious and without mercy. Oh, he knew them very well, and he silently prayed for strength and courage for the inevitable confrontation. Though he felt his heart in his throat, he was at the same time relieved for he knew his sole purpose for being there was just across the water in that ship, and it was now just a matter of time. But first he had to find a way to get aboard the Raven and not endanger the life of the captain or the crew.

Taking a deep breath he rushed over to Jack to offer his help, but Jack was too busy to notice him. He was giving orders and thinking of the Raven and her firepower. She certainly had far more than the Pearl causing him to groan at the thought of the damage the Raven could and would inflict on her. He had to save his ship and crew at any cost. He decided the best and only viable course of action was for him to have a nice, friendly talk with Hawk. After all, Hawk was a man and he was Jack Sparrow. Surely he could find a way to reach some kind of agreement with him, some way to circumvent the situation without bloodshed.

"Rafe, bring me Mr. Gibbs, quickly!" he ordered when he finally saw the boy.

Rafe nodded and ran to look for the first mate. He found him at the other end of the ship and with a tug on his arm told him that Jack needed him. Immediately Gibbs turned around, and the two men ran back to the captain.

"Aye, Captain, have ye got a plan yet?" Gibbs anxiously asked with winded breath.

"Indeed, Mr. Gibbs, bring 'er around and secure all weapons!"

Gibbs was shocked and grabbed his arm.

"No, Jack, we'll fight with ye as always. The men are ready and wanna stand with ye. Don't do this! We have a chance, Jack. A good one! Ye know if they take ye, they'll surely kill ye. Then all we've been through to save ye at world's end and Salé would've been… fer nothin'."

"I really appreciate yer concern, Mr. Gibbs," Jack reassured him, "but have ye forgotten? Ye're looking at a man who walked into the mouth of the Kraken, survived Davy Jones' locker, the East India Company, and the caves of Ali ba Zár, just to name a few. Trust me! I know what I'm doing. This beast is the same as the others, and I won't have m' ship destroyed again! I've endured too much and waited too long just to have her back. I refuse to hand her over to the first bloody cutthroat who casually passes by."

"But that's what'll happen if we don't fight." Gibbs looked over the water at the Raven slowly shaking his head. Jack followed his gaze and narrowed his eyes.

"No, that's what'll happen if we do. Now, sound the order, Mr. Gibbs!"

"Aye, Captain," the first mate said reluctantly as he looked at his friend with frustration. "As ye wish." Gibbs turned toward the other men to loudly change the order. "Men, lay down yer weapons! Captain's orders! Go on now, the lot of ye!"

The crew watched in shocked resignation as Gibbs motioned for several men to gather the weapons. Monitoring the action through his scope, however, Hawk smirked and ordered his helmsman to navigate the Raven toward the Black Pearl. As the ship slowly closed in, the men of the Raven threw hooks over the side of the Pearl and lined up the two ships. Hawk's men loudly jeered and snarled at their opponents on the Black Pearl, baring their teeth and making gestures as Jack handed over his hat, pistol, and compass to Gibbs.

"As always, I'll be wanting these later when I return," he said with a hard pat on the first mate's shoulder.

"I hope later ye'll still be alive to get them," murmured Gibbs under his breath.

Jack quickly strolled over to the side of his ship and called out for Hawk. While all attention was diverted toward him, Rafe carefully maneuvered himself into a position where he could board the Raven unseen. When he succeeded in doing so, he furtively slipped between several water barrels stored at the front of the ship, remaining there quietly until the opportune time. From his vantage point he could easily see the crews of both ships as they made scowling faces and cursed each other. Jack ordered his men to stand down and move to the middle of the ship, while he stood facing the dreaded pirate ship unarmed. As he waited for Hawk to step forward, he recognized many of the faces that now yelled and jeered at him.

Jack did not have long to wait as a figure moved swiftly through the noisy crowd of cutthroats and soon stood arrogantly before him. Hawk was still a handsome man of impeccable taste, a man older than Jack who walked with a black and silver cane. He was tall and lean with a short-trimmed black beard and mustache, and displayed an amazingly good set of teeth. He wore an elegant, black coat over a matching pair of black breeches and black boots. He smiled triumphantly and took off his black hat adorned with a silver design on the band encircling the top, thus revealing his dark and wavy hair with traces of gray all tied at the back of the neck. With cold, piercing blue eyes and a sinister voice, Hawk greeted his adversary.

"Look here, m' hearties! Why, it's m' old first mate, Jack Sparrow, and I see ye're captain of the Black Pearl once again. How came ye to such good fortune, Jack? Cheat Barbossa in a game of cards or some other game of chance?"

"First I killed the mutinous vermin," Jack replied with a wry simper. "Though truth be told, dear Tia Dalma brought him back. He took the Pearl again, yet only fer a spell. Now he's gone and I'm here." He smiled and ran his hand lovingly along the ship's side.

"Always the clever chap and resourceful as ever," he finally responded returning the smile though with an icy glare. "Why don't you come aboard, and we'll have us a little, uh, chat."

Jack narrowed his eyes and answered his invitation.

"I know why ye're here, Hawk, and I know what ye want. I'll gladly come aboard under one condition."

"And what would that be?" Hawk asked impatiently.

"That m' ship and crew make safe passage from here," he replied with a serious look hoping Hawk would comply.

Hawk was surprised by the request. He had no intention of letting Jack go, yet he was not quite inclined to do battle with the Black Pearl at that moment. The inlet offered little, if any, maneuverability, and Hawk could not afford any damage to the Raven. Knowing without Jack, the Pearl would be easier prey for a future encounter, he responded with an evil sneer.

"Agreed."

With a sigh of relief Jack turned to Gibbs and told him to sail for the other side of the island, and should he survive, he would give them a signal. Again Gibbs was unwilling to simply hand over his captain to the Raven, but Jack stood firm in his decision and confidently commanded him to obey his order and follow the code. With a last look at his men and his ship, Jack stepped up on the plank placed between the two ships and casually walked across it.

Once aboard the Raven the plank was taken up again, and Jack found himself surrounded by his former crew. While everyone's attention was on Jack, Rafe quickly climbed to the top of the cabin over the galley and lay flat until it was time to make his appearance. Helplessly he watched as Hawk's men harassed Jack and dragged him over near the main mast where a chain was soon wrapped around him and secured. Unable to do anything, Rafe angrily waited for the right opportunity and hoped Jack could hold out a little longer.

Gibbs, meanwhile, did as Jack ordered and had the crew prepare to sail around the small island, leaving the Raven behind with Jack and, unbeknownst to him, Rafe on board. As the Black Pearl swiftly moved farther away and out toward the open sea, Joe Hooper watched it from the helm of the Raven and whispered to himself.

"I'll be seein' ye again... real soon."

Hawk stood near the steps leading up to the helm and looked out toward the bow of the ship as his men gathered in front of him. Bound by the heavy chain, Jack was immediately brought before the nefarious captain, and like growling dogs fighting over a bone, the crew of the Raven pushed to get their hands on him, shoving him around from one pirate to another, laughing and calling him names. Humiliated, Jack stumbled under the heavy weight.

"Back off, ye scabie rats from the under deck!" ordered Big Joe as he came down the steps and pushed the men aside. "This ain't no feeding frenzy!"

The mob quickly dispersed and calmed down allowing Hawk to finally address his constrained guest. He had not seen his previous first mate in some time and wanted to get a good look at him. He slowly approached Jack with a smirk, then a chuckle as he looked at his hair and beads. Presently he reached out to touch one of the shiny trinkets, but Jack struggled enough to back away from his hand and sneered back at him.

"Ye look good, Jack," Hawk admitted while looking him over. "Ye haven't changed much since ye last graced our presence, 'cept ye've added a few more baubles to your hair. As always, very stylish and quite unique, and I see ye've got some shiny gold teeth as well. But, honestly mate, chains are so fashionable these days. In your case they really add a special manly touch to your image and go so well with your outfit, don't ye agree?"

Hawk began to laugh and soon his men joined him. Feeling helpless and at his mercy, Jack had no choice but to endure their ridicule for he knew Hawk was not a forgiving man, and those who crossed him always paid a price for it. Still Jack had always been able to think on his feet and luckily get himself out of tense situations before as long as he stayed calm and patient, and he knew this situation would definitely require a lot of calm and patience. He looked around and quickly tried to think of a way out and to move his arms but to no avail. Yet even if he succeeded, where would he go? Jack sighed at the thought.

"So, Jack, tell me. Where be the jewels ye stole from me?" Hawk suddenly demanded in a stern and deliberate voice.

While Hawk waited for an answer, Jack narrowed his eyes and thought for a moment. Whether he cheated or not, Hawk never got over losing that wager to him many years ago. Jack had long since squandered those gems, and now he wondered how he would explain that. He decided to simply tell him the truth, but in a humble manner. Maybe Hawk would be a little reasonable and allow him to work out some sort of payment arrangement with him, anything just to settle the matter once and for all. In any event he had to at least try.

"Won! I won them jewels from ye, Hawk, not stole! It was a fair game!" Jack emphasized then laughed. "And as to where they are now, well, ye know me. Honestly, I… uh, just don't have them anymore." He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders as best he could. "Business hasn't really been that good the last couple of years. Had a lot of expenses, ye know, food, rum, this or that, more rum... oh, and women. I think I gave one to Maggie, and then, of course, I had to give one to sweet Sophie… and her sister Collette. Hmmm… oh yeah, got the new teeth, too."

Jack quickly beamed to show off his gold teeth but immediately saw that Hawk was not amused. Hawk waited a moment then coldly responded.

"That's okay, mate. Ye'll repay me with the things ye now have, all of the things that are of value to ye. Yer ship, yer crew, yer women, yer trinkets and, uh.. oh yes, yer teeth." Jack's smile quickly faded away, and he immediately closed his mouth.

"Why does everyone suddenly want m' gold teeth?" he mumbled under his breath as he looked around wondering just what Hawk had in mind to do with him. Not surprised, he did not have long to wait.

"And dear Jack," Hawk continued with a sneer, "Since we don't yet have possession of yer crew, yer ship, or yer women, I guess we'll just have to start with you." Hawk leaned in close to look him in the eyes.

"But, revered and honored Captain," Jack tried to rebuttal, "Look at all you have already. This magnificent ship, a far superior crew. Why adding my meager and unworthy possessions would only be… superfluous really. Wouldn't you agree?"

"Perhaps," Hawk finally responded with a smirk. "But a debt will be paid none the less… with interest."

Jack cringed at the very thought of being at the mercy of these ruthless cutthroats but refused to believe there was no feasible way of escape. He knew time was critical and something would have to happen soon, for once he was dead Hawk would surely go after his ship and crew. Before he could think of a response, Hawk called out to his men.

"Men of the Raven, ye already know the hawk is a powerful, noble creature; big, strong, aggressive, and deadly, while the sparrow is small, weak, delicate, and easily frightened. The hawk catches squirrels and rabbits, prey worthy of his prowess, while the tiny sparrow catches bugs and worms. The hawk is a mighty predator." He raised his hands in the air then turning to look at Jack, "and the sparrow is his lowly prey."

Jack swallowed hard while Hawk and his men laughed aloud. A few even pointed toward Jack until Hawk finally motioned the men to calm down.

"Now, m' friend," he turned again to address Jack, "can ye think of any flying creature, any at all, that can beat the hawk with all its power, its strength, and its ability to kill?" Jack was about to answer, when suddenly a loud voice was heard coming from the other end of the ship.

"The dragon!"

Surprised by the outburst behind them, everyone immediately turned and saw Rafe standing on the upper deck over the galley. With legs slightly apart and hands on his hips, he boldly called out to the self-exalting captain.

"The dragon will swallow you up and spit you out again." He pointed at Hawk. "He will stare you down with eyes of fire, and you will be bones and rubble at his feet." Hawk narrowed his eyes to get a better look.

"Who the blazes are you?" Hawk called out and took a step toward him.

"I am Rafe, a mighty pirate on the Black Pearl," he announced over the loud hisses and snarls of the Raven's crew, "and I've come for Jack Sparrow." Jack's mouth dropped as he stared at the boy.

"Seems yer crew sent a mere boy to rescue you," Hawk laughed and turned to Jack. "Not much of a bloody effort fer the great Captain Jack Sparrow!" Jack gave him a little smirk then furrowed his brow focusing his attention on Rafe. Hawk smiled back at Rafe and answered him.

"Ye best come down from there, boy, before ye get hurt! I'm sure we can find ye somethin' to play with!" Hawk's smile turned into a scowl as he nodded to several men near the steps. "Go help him, gents, and bring 'im to me!"

Standing at the edge of the deck, Rafe put his hands together and mockingly bowed to the villainous captain. He extended his right arm out to the side and after making a fist, gently struck his chest twice before extending it out again all the while watching as a few of Hawk's men quickly ran up the steps leading to the upper deck to seize him. As the pirates reached out to take hold of him, Rafe took a flying leap high into the air soaring gracefully into an open somersault, landing on the main deck about twenty feet in front of Hawk and where Jack was being held near the side of the ship. He immediately stood facing the evil captain with both hands poised in front of him slowly weaving back and forth and green eyes glaring, watching and waiting for someone to make a move against him.

Stunned by the spectacular feat, all eyes were on the young man especially Jack who thought Rafe was safe aboard the Black Pearl, but his surprise quickly turned to one of concern when he realized the danger the boy was now in. Looking at him with great pride, Jack was suddenly saddened by the thought that he was responsible for anything that might happen to him, for Rafe was risking everything for him when he hardly knew Jack at all. In all his life Jack had never seen anyone with such bravery as this young man, to stand alone before a ruthless gang of murdering cutthroats like that on his behalf, and with such an entrance! He certainly had to admit the boy had class and style, as well as great skill. While the crew recovered from the shock of Rafe's display, Hawk ordered his men to seize the boy.

"Grab 'im now and bring 'im to me!" he loudly bellowed and waved his cane in the air.

Several of Hawk's men reached out to take hold of him, but Rafe immediately spun into action, rapidly attacking them with both hand and foot. With graceful, quick kicks to the head and punches and chops to the neck and chest, the crew of the Raven soon began falling to the side. As they lay groaning on the deck, the boy stood alone and with a secret smile, glared at the malicious man in black. A few of the men staggered to their feet, but Rafe quickly turned to face them. A strange green glow from his eyes flashed at them, causing them to back away. Suddenly from the corner of his eye, Rafe saw a large, ominous figure moving quickly from the other side of the ship toward where Hawk stood.

Rafe followed the big man with his eyes, and when he finally stopped to stand between Hawk and Jack, the man turned to look at the boy with an intimidating sneer. Rafe stared back at him, mesmerized by his imposing presence for he had forgotten how big and powerful the man was. He stood taller than Hawk and was much heavier and muscular. His head was cleanly shaven, and he wore a gold ring in his right ear. Rafe stared at the pirate's face, noting that he had a short beard and mustache. It was also a face that clearly had a long, curved scar running down the length of his left cheek, a face Rafe knew almost intimately, a face he had traveled far to find.

"Joe Hooper!" he murmured to himself with disdain.

Slowly clenching his fists at his side and with controlled fury, Rafe quickly strode toward him, moving faster and faster with each step. When he was within a few yards of the man, Joe flashed a big, menacing grin and suddenly picked Jack up and threw him over the side of the ship into the water below. Gloating over his actions, Joe leaned over the side and watched as Jack made a big splash before sinking down into the watery depths. He then turned to sneer at Rafe. Opening his arms wide and daringly sticking out his broad chest, he watched as the boy raced toward him. With mounting speed and momentum, Rafe gave him a cold, defiant glare and without hesitation took a running leap upon a wooden keg located in front of him along the side of the ship. Before Joe could react, the boy slammed feet first into the side of the large man's chest with tremendous force immediately knocking the air out of him. After bending his knees at the point of impact, he pushed hard off Joe's body. As the big man fell backwards, Rafe successfully ricocheted high over the ship's side and dove into the water after Jack.

With the weight of the chains around him, Jack quickly sank further into the clear, cool water. He struggled to loosen the chains but without success, and just when he felt all was lost, he suddenly felt hands grabbing at them and working them loose. Freed from the chains at last, Jack tried to swim on his own, but with lack of air he quickly started to weaken. With Jack hovering close to unconsciousness, Rafe labored hard to raise the captain and himself up to the water's surface. He saw the hull of the Raven, and knowing Hawk and the others would be searching for them at the side where they went over, he immediately maneuvered himself with Jack in tow to the other side of the ship.

After reaching air Rafe held the captain's head up and began to swim toward the beach. Moving with the waves and current, he swam hard to make progress and was soon close enough to the shore to be carried in with the surf. Before dragging Jack out of the water, however, Rafe glanced back at the Raven. By this time he knew the crew had given up on them and noticed some activity had begun to take place on board the ship.

On the deck of the Raven Joe had gotten up, and together he and the captain stood by the side of the ship and anxiously waited to see if Sparrow and the boy would surface. When they did not, Hawk snarled at Joe for casting Jack overboard without his orders and walked away in a huff leaving Joe staring out over the water. He was perplexed over the actions of the mysterious, young man and wondered who he was. He had seen lots of fighting throughout the years, but he had never seen anyone flip in the air like that and totally incapacitate his men so quickly with such a unique style. Even he lost his breath when the boy slammed into his chest and sent him crashing to the ship's deck.

Joe rubbed the area where the boy's boots hit him hard. He furrowed his brow and thought if Sparrow had him teaching his crew how to fight like that, they would be a sure force to reckon with. However Sparrow and the boy had not yet come up out of the water so maybe there would not be anything to take issue with. Joe again thought about the Black Pearl and went over to talk to Hawk about pursuing her, but before the two men could consider such a scheme, a sudden cry from the crow's nest interrupted them.

"Look now, Captain, them British dogs are soon upon us!"

Rushing to get a better look, Hawk pulled out his scope and saw the colors of a British flag appear over the top of a small cliff near the mouth of the inlet. Surprised to see them, he immediately turned to his first mate.

"Blast them Brits to smithereens," he cursed under his breath.

With no time to think further about Jack and the boy, Hawk ordered Joe to sail them out of there. Joe yelled the orders to the men, and they quickly scrambled to their posts and lowered all remaining sails while the helmsman spun the wheel sharply with the first mate's command. The Raven immediately began to turn about in the direction of the open sea and as its sails picked up a brisk wind and filled with air, the ship quickly moved toward the mouth of the narrow inlet.

The British patrol vessel, Vigilant, had not yet seen the Raven as its vision was blocked by a rocky cliff on their side of the inlet. Not expecting to find danger so close by and around the corner, the British crew casually mulled around having just finished their morning meal and duties. As their ship passed the rocky cliff however, they were caught off guard by the sight of the Raven swiftly moving from the inlet out to the open sea. Upon orders from the commander the ship's alarm was sounded, and all hands quickly made ready to engage the pirate ship, promptly changing course and setting their sights on pursuing her.

Farther down the coast in a secluded part of the island, the Black Pearl lay in waiting. Now in command, Gibbs ordered the anchor lowered and began devising a plan that would allow them to rescue Jack if he was still alive and had managed to reach the island, for Hawk still could have easily sailed off with him. It had come to his attention that the boy was missing as well, so he sincerely hoped they were together and safe, though he knew the chances of that happening were slim. Gibbs searched for a map of the island among the many Jack kept in his quarters. Upon finding the right one and then locating their position on it, he discovered that the distance from the ship to the inlet where they left Jack was shorter if going by land, whereas going by water meant sailing an extra distance around several large peninsulas that jutted outward toward the sea. This certainly made it more difficult to get back to Jack and Rafe quickly, and getting back to them quickly would be essential if they wanted to save their lives. With this information Gibbs continued to examine the map and soon began to formulate an idea for a rescue.

Gibbs called in several of the crew, and it was decided that a small band of men would hike the few miles that would eventually lead them back to the inlet where the captain was taken. There they would search for Jack and Rafe and, if successful, bring them back to the ship. They mapped out an overland route, and with a plan in place several volunteers were selected and preparations made for the early evening rescue. Now all they could do was hope at least someone would be there for them to find, and more importantly, that that someone would be alive. The men were not happy about waiting until dark, but Jack had said he would give them a signal, and it could very well come at night. They also did not want to take the chance of running into any more ships, British or pirate, so waiting until dark was the only viable solution in order to keep them and the Pearl safe. The crew was loyal to Jack so even if it meant breaking the code, they would do it, however, this time it meant waiting for the opportune time to search for him.

In the meantime, the crew had their usual duties to perform and food to catch for the evening meal. Several men prepared the nets, while Gabe sent a couple of men ashore to gather wood for the fire and hunt for any wild game. Occasionally they were lucky enough to come across a goat or wild pig, which made for a hearty and tasty meal. When their work was done and with little else to do while waiting, many of the crew found pleasure napping in the sun or playing cards on the main deck. Others took refuge from the hot sun in the lower decks of the ship sleeping in their hammocks until the heat and rank odor of the close quarters woke them and drove them topside into the open air.

Gibbs sat alone in the captain's quarters wondering what was happening to Jack and Rafe, and if they were still alive. Leaving Jack on the Raven was against his gut instinct, but he had no choice but to obey the captain's orders and follow the code. Gibbs winced at the thought that if the men came back without him, they would have to leave him behind. They had done that on several occasions but later decided to disregard the code and go look for him, even to the other side of the world. Finding him each time had been a stroke of luck, but then Jack was usually lucky when it came to eluding death, but what would happen to them this time if his luck ran out? The Black Pearl would simply not be the same without her captain, Jack Sparrow, and all the crew knew it. He was the ship's heart and soul. He made the Black Pearl come alive, as she did him. Even Gibbs had to admit he lacked what it took to keep the Pearl the legend that she was, for only Jack could do that, and together, he and the Black Pearl would be remembered for their many daring escapades.

These thoughts left him restless and unsure of the future. They had to find Jack and the boy one way or the other. Finally sighing and shaking his head with worry and utter frustration, he leaned back in the chair and helped himself to some of Jack's rum. He soon closed his weary eyes thinking back on better times many years ago when he first met Jack Sparrow, a man driven in search of his Black Pearl, a man driven in search of his dream. Gibbs chuckled to himself as he recalled those fond memories. Soon a warm, gentle breeze blew through the open windows of the cabin, and settling deeper into the chair and with a little smile on his face, Gibbs closed his eyes and soon fell asleep.

Chapter 4

After struggling to pull the unconscious captain to shore and up on the sand, the boy worked hard to revive him. When he failed to respond, Rafe put Jack's head back and opened his mouth. Relying on previously learned instruction, he covered the captain's nose and immediately leaned down to blow air into his lungs. After a few more attempts, Jack slowly opened his eyes. Confused not knowing what was happening and not understanding why Rafe had his mouth on his, the captain instinctively pushed the boy back and rolled to the side. Suddenly he began to cough up water and afterward wiped his mouth with his shirtsleeve. When he was able, Jack slowly sat up and turned to look at his rescuer.

"Are ye bloody daft?" he asked then leaned over to cough up more water. "What d' ye think ye were doin', boy?"

Frustrated and hurt by Jack's stinging remark and lack of appreciation, Rafe rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"What was I doing? I was trying to save your life... again!" he responded harshly. "Don't you remember the water, the chains? What else could I possibly be doing? Do you even think I wanted to experience the feel and taste of your lips, or... or better yet... maybe I just found a sneaky way to extract those gold teeth!"

Stunned by the boy's sudden outburst, Jack furrowed his brow and stared at him in silence. Without waiting for the captain to respond, Rafe quickly got up and stormed away from him, his eyes stinging as tears formed in them. Walking fast and looking around he realized he was actually not very far from where they had been earlier that morning. He was thirsty and needed to rinse out his mouth, as he could still taste salt water and feel small grains of sand from when his mouth brushed against the captain's mustache. He was glad to be alone and went to find the small pool of water. After a short walk down the beach, he finally found it and immediately went to the narrow path leading up to the ridge and upon taking a quick glance around, once again laid down by the stream to drink. The water was cool against his skin as it lapped against the side of his face and neck. When finished he sat up to wipe away the excess water and felt the flush of anger subside from within him.

"And he called me daft?" Rafe murmured to himself, still pouting over the captain's rude response to his efforts to save him. He shook his head and decided to check his pouch again. As he took each item out for inspection, he stared at the hook and twine and realized he was a little hungry. It was already past midday, he figured, and without anything else to do while waiting to be rescued by the crew, he decided to do a little fishing. There was really no way of knowing if and when Gibbs and the crew would find them so being prepared and having food would be a necessity. He quickly got up and looked around the immediate area for a strong, sturdy stick. During his search he found some small, edible mushrooms near a clump of ferns and scooped up a handful of them for later. After setting them down by the stream and cleaning them, he continued to look for a suitable stick and upon finding one spent time diligently fashioning a strong and efficient fishing pole with his knife and using his twine and hook to complete it.

Rafe finally finished with the fishing rod and from his viewpoint on top of the ridge, looked out over the water as the tide broke onto shore. He watched the waves as they gently rolled up on the beach then back again, each time with the same rhythmic motion. For a few moments he searched the horizon yet found no ships and was grateful the Raven had left the area. Seagulls suddenly caught his attention as they flew above the beach in search of food dipping low to the water then up again to soar high above the surf. The air was heated by the midday sun, yet a gentle breeze blew in from the ocean and cooled his face. Still wet and sticky from the salt water in his clothes, Rafe stood up and pulled the fabric away from his skin as best he could. Finally taking his new fishing pole and mushrooms, he walked down the path toward the pool.

Rafe set the pole and mushrooms down near the water's edge and looked around to ensure he was still alone. He then took off his boots and pouch and waded into the pool where the water was warm and refreshing. When he had waded far enough for the water to be waist deep, he took off his bandana, took in a deep breath, and slowly went under the water. He rose up again after a few moments and leaned back to float allowing the water to flow freely through his hair and rinse out any salt and sand. He closed his eyes and could hear the splashing sounds of water falling off the rocks and into the pool. Shortly afterward he waded back to where he had left his boots, scooping up a handful of water along the way to rinse off his face and smooth out his mustache and beard.

Refreshed, Rafe came out of the pool and found a large rock to sit on where he stretched out his legs and wrung out his wet hair with his hands. He looked up and the hot sun immediately warmed his face and began to dry his hair and clothes. He took the small metal box from his pouch, dabbed his finger slightly over the waxy substance and applied it to his mustache and beard. He thought about the captain and was sorry for what he had said, for he had begun to feel a small bond between them and hoped he had not ruined it by his brash behavior. It had been a while since he left Jack on the beach and wondered if he was alright, yet decided to leave him be for the moment. He thought about the feel of the captain's lips touching his own and was puzzled that he found the whole experience not totally unpleasant. Not wanting to pursue that thought any further, Rafe quickly decided to look for fishing bait. He wandered farther away from the beach and soon located some more rocks. He slowly turned a few of them over and with luck on his side, found a few worms and other crawling bugs. He scooped them into his bandana and walked back to where he had left the fishing pole, carefully dumping the bait on the ground. With his hair now almost dry, he shook out the cloth, quickly wrapped it around his hair once again, and secured it.

"Now to the matter at hand," Rafe said to himself and sat back down on his rock to bait his hook. Once done he took the fishing rod and walked toward the beach and into the surf. There he stopped and cast out his line as far as the twine would go. Patiently waiting for a tug on the line, he paced back and forth to keep his bare feet from sinking too deeply into the wet sand. After several minutes he pulled the line in to check the bait then cast the line out again. Time passed slowly as he worked the line, determined to catch a fish one way or the other for him and the captain.

Jack, meanwhile, lay on the sand taking a short nap amid the sound of waves crashing on the shore and cries of seagulls overhead. He suddenly felt a wet splat on his cheek and abruptly awoke from a dream, slowly opening his eyes and seeing gulls flying directly over him. He wiped his face with his hand and recognized the goop with an immediate look of disgust. He hurried to the water to clean his face and hands and when finished, returned to his place in the sand and sat down once again. He recalled being on the Raven with Hawk and Joe Hooper, and Rafe pulling him to shore, yet as he warily looked around he found himself alone. With a despairing look he gazed out over the water wondering about the Pearl, and soon memories came to mind of a similar incident some time ago when he was left behind looking out over the water.

"Curses to be marooned… again!" Jack mumbled to himself scooping up some sand and letting it fall through his fingers, then loudly while glancing up at the sky, "Only last time ye blessed me with a beautiful, young woman and some rum to soothe the suffering situation." Moments later he sullenly mumbled again to himself looking down at the sand. "New rule fer the pirate codebook. Pirates are forbidden to be marooned without a good stash of rum!"

A swooping seagull caught his attention, and with a curse and scowl he quickly got up, picked up a small piece of driftwood and threw it at the bird only to miss it. He then looked around again in the hopes of seeing where Rafe had disappeared. From a distance down the beach, he saw someone moving about in the waves. He narrowed his eyes to get a better look and assuming it was the boy, began to walk in the direction of the lonely figure. As he got nearer he saw that Rafe was doing what appeared to be fishing. Not surprised by the sight, Jack smiled and sat down on the dry sand to observe as Rafe continued to alternately pull the line in, check the bait, and then cast it out again. Not aware of the captain sitting on the beach behind him, Rafe decided to take a few more steps farther out into deeper water.

Jack was amused and intrigued by his young friend's determination to catch a fish and by the fact that while he was sleeping, the boy had made a fishing pole with twine and a hook. Rafe was indeed a resourceful young man and finding food would certainly be on top of his list of survival priorities. He thought how the boy had saved his life and was still trying to do so. It had been a long time since he felt really close to anyone, man or woman, but the idea made him feel uncomfortable and vulnerable, and he quickly dismissed it from his mind. But what he could not dismiss was what he saw Rafe do on the Raven. Being a marksman with the knife was one thing, but where does an orphan learn to fight and flip in the air like that, he wondered. The boy was indeed a mystery, and Jack was beginning to think there was more to him than his simple explanation of being an orphan and a stowaway. He also thought the sooner he could get a look at the items in his pouch, the sooner the mystery would be solved.

Suddenly Jack's thoughts were interrupted when he saw Rafe struggling with the line. The boy fought to pull back on the pole, but it arched under the strain of whatever was caught on the hook, and with the resistance of the fish and the strong undertow, he was forced to move deeper into the water. Determined not to let go and with both hands firmly secured around the fishing pole, Rafe dug his heels squarely and deeply into the sand in the hopes of standing his ground. As he watched the line race from side to side in the surf, he happened to notice in the distance a large, incoming wave and immediately braced himself for the inevitable impact.

The wave quickly rose up high and crashed against him with a great force causing him to lose his balance. As his feet gave way under him, he began to fall backward. Suddenly he felt a strong hand grab his arm tightly, and with a quick glance over his shoulder, he saw Jack struggling to keep him steady. Finally with some strength and a lot of effort, the captain pulled both Rafe and the fishing rod back to shore where the men fell to the sand exhausted and out of breath. Still grasping the pole Rafe quickly sat up and pulled hard on the line, and within moments a large fish thrashed about in the shallow water. Though surprised at first, both men soon laughed at the sight, and Jack leaned over to pat the young man on the back.

"When do we eat?" he asked still chuckling over the fish.

Rafe grinned and nodded his head. This was indeed a large fish and would certainly satisfy their appetites. After taking a moment to catch his breath, he stood up and stuck his arm out to help Jack up as well. At last he began to pull the line in. He dragged the fish up on the sand and looked around to see the best place to set up a fire. With some help from Jack, they labored to carry the fish over near the pool.

"Captain, can you move some of those large rocks over here?" Rafe asked pointing to a pile of rocks on the other side of the pool. "I'll need them to build a fire pit."

Jack complied and as he brought the rocks over, Rafe put his boots back on and began to form the pit. Soon it was ready, and after filling it with sticks, twigs, and dried grass, he took the piece of flint from his pouch and struck it repeatedly against a rock. Jack watched as sparks from the rock fell against the kindling, and soon a small wisp of smoke formed around some of the dried grass. Rafe quickly leaned down to gently blow on the smoke, and a small flame suddenly appeared and started to burn the grass and a few of the smaller twigs. The grass sizzled within the flame and quickly spread to the other twigs and sticks. Rafe stood up and smiled at the captain who now reached over to place more kindling on the fire. Satisfied that the fire was strong, Rafe put the flint back in his pouch while Jack watched from the corner of his eye and again wondered what else the boy carried in there.

"So, Rafe, what's all in that pouch of yours?" he asked nonchalantly. "I mean, besides the piece of flint."

Still tending the fire, Rafe considered his request and agreed to show him. He took out the coins, the remaining ball of twine, the shiny metal box, and the carefully folded cloth protecting the golden medallion. Jack looked at the items closely.

"Great treasures to be sure," he said jokingly, "but still I'm curious, my friend, what d' ye got hidden in the cloth?" Rafe hesitated a moment debating whether to reveal the medallion or not. Though tempted to show him, he finally decided it best not to do so at that time and put the items back in his pouch.

"A small keepsake. Nothing more."

Jack smiled and gave a nod, but Rafe's simple description could not abate his curiosity regarding it. He was anxious to find out more about the boy and the secret of his strength and abilities, and though he was certain the keepsake had something to do with it, he allowed Rafe his privacy for the time being. After all, Jack had his own little treasures he always carried around with him, although, he remembered, he had given them to Gibbs for protection.

While the fire burned, Rafe busily prepared the meal. Earlier he had seen wild herbs growing near the stream and now used them to dress the fish along with the small mushrooms he had previously found. Once prepared, he skewered the fish on a wooden stick along with the mushrooms and placed it over the fire on top of some tall rocks. With a good fire burning, both men watched hungrily as the flames rose to lap at the fish then sizzled as drops from the fish hit the burning sticks. After a few minutes Rafe turned the fish over to allow the fire to cook the other side.

"Where did ye learn to cook that way?" Jack asked with curiosity then mockingly, "Did they also teach ye that in the shipyard?" Rafe glanced at him with a little grin but continued to watch the fish.

"No, just other things," he finally admitted. "You see, it didn't take long for the crew to find me hiding on the cargo ship. The captain didn't care much for stowaways and made me pay my way by catching rats in the bilge. For hours each day I wallowed in the watery muck and darkness listening and hunting them by candlelight with my knife. I collected the bodies for the cook. He had a way of enhancing their taste by adding spices and herbs as they boiled and their skin fell off." Jack grimaced at the thought. "The men didn't seem to mind, though I doubt they knew what they were eating. As for myself, I personally prefer fish. How about you, Captain?"

Repulsed by the very thought of rats much less eating one, Jack stared at him with a ghastly look on his face. For fear of losing his appetite, Jack shook his head and body while sticking out his tongue. Rafe tried not to laugh and began to skewer the remaining mushrooms with another stick, then finally placed them across the flame.

Having composed himself, Jack gazed into the fire, but his eyes soon wandered off toward the western horizon where he watched the sun set lower in the sky. Funny, he thought to himself, it was just a few hours ago that he was at this very same spot looking forward to some fun and relaxation in Gilley's Rock. He again thought about his men and the Black Pearl even the Raven, wondering now where she had gone. As long as Hawk was in the area, he knew his ship and crew were in danger. Hoping against hope that Gibbs would come back to look for them, he let out a small sigh and turned back again to watch the fire. Soon the smell of food caught his hungry attention, and closing his eyes he eagerly sniffed the air.

"Smells good, but sure would love to have a bit of rum to go with it," Jack remarked with a half grin. "Ye like rum now, don't ye?"

"Don't know. Never had any," Rafe responded still gazing at the fire.

"Never had any!" Jack reacted with great surprise. "Ye worked in a shipyard and n'er had any rum? Hmmm, I'm thinkin' there be a lot of things ye've n'er had." He eyed the young man closely with a mischievous grin and remarked, "Aye, I would even wager ye've never had ... uh, a girlfriend. Right?"

Jack narrowed his eyes and waited for Rafe to answer, but when the boy finally looked over at him, he just stared, visibly embarrassed by the question. Sensing the boy's discomfort over the topic of conversation, Jack wisely decided to leave it alone.

"Oops," he said under his breath and casually looked in the other direction.

Rafe stared back into the fire feeling a bit awkward with the captain for he truly respected him as a man and knew he meant well. Now feeling the need to unburden some of what he held inside, he decided to tell Jack a little about himself.

"Before I went to sea, I was once in love, Captain Sparrow, and actually betrothed. But one night my beloved was brutally murdered by a pirate, and that ended my dream and my will to live." He stared into the fire then looked at Jack as he continued. "My goal, sir, is to find that… man, that pirate pig, and avenge the senseless death of the one I loved and cherished. For me, there's nothing else, and I won't be stopped for I have long prepared for that purpose. I am bound by it, and need be, I will die for it. Believe me, Captain, I will have justice."

Just as Jack was about to respond, Rafe suddenly rose to his feet and turned away, but not before Jack noticed the glistening reflection of tears in the young man's eyes. Not quite expecting this, he did not know what to say, however just as he suspected, it was now apparent that Rafe's story of wanting to become a pirate was not exactly true. This Jack could understand, but he was really more affected by Rafe's personal tragedy. Of course, at some point in his own life Jack had felt some heartache and disappointment in love, but he had never cared for someone only to have that person taken away so brutally. Sensing some of Rafe's pain and having concern for him, Jack tried to offer some comfort in the only way he knew how.

"Who's the wretched scum that did this dastardly thing, for I'll gladly send 'm down and feed him to the sharks m' self!"

Having regained his composure Rafe took a few deep breaths, wiped tears away from his face, and slowly turned back to look at him, appreciative of the captain's caring remark. After a short pause he answered him.

"Joe Hooper."

Jack's mouth dropped open in shock and disbelief as he tried to grasp what Rafe had just said. Joe Hooper! He was indeed a murderous devil, feared by most people and for good reason. Other pirates even knew of his reputation and tried to stay clear of him. Joe Hooper. The name echoed in his mind. So this was why Rafe wanted to find him, and he thought back to the previous night and the wager.

By now Rafe had resumed looking after the fish and not really knowing what else to say to each other, the two men sat by the fire in total silence. After a few more minutes Rafe checked the fish again. Finding it done, he took the skewer and carefully laid the fish on a large, flat rock he had found and cleaned earlier. With his knife he cut into the fish, extracting as many bones as he could and pushed the fish meat to the side. He next picked up several large, green leaves he had collected, put them together, and very carefully laid some pieces of fish and mushrooms on them. Folding the leaves so the fish would not fall out, he handed it over to Jack. By this time the captain was famished and welcomed the savory fish by licking his lips. Rafe smiled and prepared another portion for himself. Jack ate like he had never eaten before and when he had finished, he put out his hand for more. Rafe was happy to oblige and quickly handed him another helping.

While Jack sat and ate, he thought this was the best he had eaten in some time. There was something about those strange, little leaves Rafe had ground up with stones and rubbed into the fish that really made it delicious, and the cooked mushrooms were also a tasty treat. Suddenly, a brilliant thought came to his mind. Why make the boy a pirate when he can be the ship's cook? Not that Gabe was a bad cook. He did his best, but, well yes, he was definitely lacking skill when it came to cooking. With Rafe as cook, life aboard the Black Pearl would certainly be a lot more bearable. Bored with the silence and feeling a bit restless, Jack finally stood up and went over to thank him for the food.

"That was very good eatin', young fella, aye, mighty good. I only wish we had some..."

"I know," Rafe interjected, "Rum! Uh, maybe you better get some water from the pool."

"Ah, good idea, mate," he replied with a toothy grin and turned to walk toward it.

While Rafe attended to the fish and fire, he heard a loud splash. Turning around he saw Jack floating around in the water. As he watched the captain, he laughed to himself musing over whether the captain had gotten enough water for one day. Curious, Rafe stood up and casually walked in the direction of the pool where to his surprise, he saw all of Jack's clothes lying on the ground in a nice little pile. With a sudden gasp, he looked at Jack in the water then quickly turned away, hopelessly shaking his head.

"Oh, this is just great," he murmured to himself.

"Come in, Rafe!" Jack yelled from the water. "Cool yourself down. After all, you've been cookin' by a hot fire."

"No thanks, Captain," he called back. "I already took a nice swim earlier this afternoon."

Rafe turned to look at the captain again and found him standing waist deep in the pool. He could not resist gazing at his chest and arms. Just then Jack shook his head like a wet dog, and water flew out of his hair in all directions. Rafe started to laugh hard, but when he saw Jack move to come out of the water, he quickly turned and hastened back to the fire.

While there was still light, Rafe searched the area for some more wood for the fire. He found some old branches and pieces of bark and laid them in a small pile near the flames. Now fully dressed Jack finally came back to the camp and after scanning the area, sat down and gazed at the fire. It was going to be a long night for sure, he thought, but he was even more concerned whether the fire and smoke would attract any unsavory sorts who might see it from afar. He frowned at that thought then changing his mood, looked up at Rafe.

"Well now, ain't this some excitin' evening?" he said sarcastically. "Not like an evening I remember many years ago in a place called Singapore. What a wild night that was! I had so much to drink, I couldn't tell if I was with one woman or three, but I didn't care. The more I drank, the better lookin' they got. Look! I got these from there." He pointed to some odd shaped baubles hanging in his hair.

Rafe looked at him from across the fire and saw the fire's light reflect off Jack's gold teeth. With his hair and his teeth, Rafe found it all very amusing and could not help but laugh to himself. Still he smiled and nodded his head in acknowledgement, wondering all the more about this strange man and his adventures.

"Say, Captain," he inquired with a grin as he sat down again. "How exactly did you get those gold teeth?"

"Well, my good man, that's a long, but interesting story. Let's just say I got m' self in a bit of trouble with the ladies on several occasions and got some teeth knocked out."

"What? You got punched in the mouth by some women?" Rafe could scarcely believe his ears and started to laugh. Jack rolled his eyes.

"No! Well, one actually did, but I deserved it. On another occasion, I kinda accidentally started a brawl over a woman, and in the middle of a bloody good fight, I got hit in the mouth with an elbow. And on another wild occasion, I was drinkin' at a table surrounded by Turkish dancin' girls and passed out hittin' m' face on the table."

"Sir, I think you need a nurse maid to watch over you and make sure you don't get into trouble or lose any more teeth," said Rafe shaking his head.

"Sure, as long as she fits certain specifications, which we… uh… won't go into at this time," Jack replied devilishly.

"Captain, I also noticed while you were in the water, you have a drawing of sorts on your right arm. What is that?"

"Aye, mate, ye've heard of a tattoo now, haven't ye?" Jack asked. "It's a picture of a bird, see?" He rolled up his sleeve to give Rafe a better look. "It's a bloody sparrow, like me. Say, I got another tattoo on m' lower backside. I got it one night in Madagascar. It's a picture of a snake. Here, I'll show ye." And he quickly jumped up to unbuckle his belt.

"No, Captain!" Rafe quickly cried. "That's not necessary! I believe you! Really, sir, please sit down! Please!"

With a puzzled look, Jack shrugged his shoulders and sat down again. After a few moments Rafe got up and walked over to sit closer to him where Jack had a chance to study the young man more seriously.

"You're quite an odd, little fellow, Rafe, but I like ye anyway. Sure would like to know 'bout that keepsake ye keep wrapped up in that wee pouch of yours. So, how 'bout a little peek… what d' ye say?"

Looking intently into the captain's dark eyes, then glancing downward to think for a moment, Rafe decided to show him the medallion. He liked Jack, and though he was a pirate of some sort, Rafe still felt the need to trust him at this time. Without saying a word, Rafe opened his pouch and carefully took out the cloth-covered treasure. Jack waited patiently with excited expectation while Rafe held the mysterious item in his hand and slowly removed the cloth. Jack's eyes suddenly widened when he saw the first glimpse of gold as it caught the light of the flickering fire. He stared at the beautiful medallion and became mesmerized by its imposing shape in the form of a dragon's head. What further caught his immediate attention was the fiery, green glow of the large emerald that was set as the dragon's eye. As he continued to stare at the emerald, sparkles of green light reflected the glow of the fire, and Jack longed to hold the treasure in his hands.

"This sure beats the last medallion I got involved with," he quietly said, remembering the doomed medallion made from Aztec gold. Moments later he frowned and with slight hesitation quietly asked, "It ain't cursed none, is it?"

Puzzled by the question Rafe looked at him and slowly shook his head. Jack gave a big sigh of relief just as Rafe closed his eyes and quietly chanted a few words. He was surprised by the boy's strange behavior and watched as Rafe began to gently rock back and forth. Soon Rafe lowered his head and raised his hands slowly out in front of him. As he did, the emerald's glow pulsated brighter. Confused and not quite knowing what was happening to the boy or the medallion, Jack remained still and waited patiently till Rafe slowly opened his eyes again then furtively looked around the area.

"Whoa, mate, are ye feelin' alright?" asked Jack a little nervously. "You were actin' a little woozy, and I know ye hadn't been hittin' the bottle, so what were ye doin' there?" He narrowed his eyes as he leaned closer to Rafe's face and sniffed. When finished, Jack looked at him with a small grin.

"Sorry, boy, just wanted to make sure."

"That's alright, Captain. I understand. I suppose what you saw me doing did look rather strange and suspicious, but I was actually concentrating on the Black Pearl and trying hard to focus mental energy to Mr. Gibbs so he would know where to come look for us." Rafe gave him a concerned look. "I sure hope it worked, sir, for we could really use some rescuing about now."

Jack leaned back trying to understand the boy's curious explanation about mental energy and watched as Rafe took in a deep breath and nervously looked around again.

"And we should be on alert as well," Rafe warned. "I sense we just might not be alone on this island."

Gibbs suddenly jerked his head and woke up from his little nap after having a strange dream about Jack and Rafe. He sat for a moment deep in thought and finally got up to go over and cool his face with a wet cloth, for though a slight breeze blew through the open windows, the room was still warm. The sun was already setting when he came out of Jack's quarters to gather the special team that would go in search of the captain and the boy. As the four men loaded up their weapons, ropes, water, and lanterns, Gibbs gave them their final instructions.

"Remember to stay sharp, men, stay together, and especially watch out for any uninvited guests. And don't get yerselves lost! Mind ye, I don't wanna have to send another group out to look fer you too!"

The men nodded their heads in agreement and confidently shook the first mate's hand. While the crew looked on, they quickly disembarked and climbed up a small hill. When they reached the top, they looked down on the Black Pearl once more and with a final wave turned to go into the woods.

"Good fortune, men, and God speed," Gibbs whispered to himself as he watched the last man disappear over the hill, wondering if they would indeed find Jack and Rafe.

The sails had been furled for the day and from where he stood at the near side of the ship, Gibbs could see the other crewmates finishing their daily duties. They were a good lot, these men. Hardly pirates at all, rather simple seamen. A group of misfits they were, young and old with no real family, coming together for one real purpose, to sail the seas in search of adventure and treasure, and even though they had been together for some time, Jack had treated them well and even became somewhat like a father to them. They were loyal, like family, and no one was going to break them up if they could help it, not even the likes of Hawk and his murderous band of cutthroats. With a swelling feeling of pride for the men, a small smile came to his face, and he turned to glance up at the hill once more.

"I pray ye be safe, Jack... and with the boy."

The marooned men continued to focus their attention on the golden medallion. Jack slowly reached out to touch it and though hesitant at first, Rafe finally allowed the captain to run his fingers along the golden edge of the dragon's shape but then pulled it away. Jack was still curious about it and could not understand how someone like Rafe, supposedly an orphan and just barely a man, came to have possession of such a treasure.

"Where did ye get that?" he inquired with a low voice. Rafe watched as Jack longingly stared at the medallion. After a moment he finally relented and let Jack hold it then turned to look into the crackling fire. Gathering his thoughts Rafe began to tell him about it.

"There's a place in a far off land where a small group of monks are known as the Order of the Dragon. For, as the dragon is a mystical and magical creature of great power and strength, it is their belief that in the heart of a righteous warrior dwells the spirit of this fiery and noble beast. So, as a man, or woman, strives to become one of the dragon's chosen warriors, he must prove himself worthy to receive the dragon's spirit, which can only be summoned by one who knows how and with this golden medallion. The individual must master certain skills in fighting, and more importantly, master his own spirit and self-awareness. He must know his purpose and endure endless hours of strenuous training and meditation, for without the strength of the mind and spirit, the body is a useless shell." Jack narrowed his eyes and listened as Rafe continued.

"Those who successfully pass special tests of skill and valor receive this medallion not only as confirmation of their achievement, but also of commitment to their eternal oneness with the dragon. As they go out into the world and confront evil, only with the medallion can the warrior hope to evoke the dragon's spirit and be empowered with its strength. The warrior will become one with the dragon, and evil will bow down at his feet and be vanquished."

Rafe turned to look at the captain who was still examining the medallion in his hand. After a few moments and realizing that Rafe had finished with his story, Jack looked at him and suddenly saw what he thought were lights sparkling in the boy's eyes. Startled and quickly blinking his own eyes a few times, Jack handed the medallion back, slapped his hands on his knees, and stood up to stretch his weary legs. Not knowing what to make of the story and after taking a quick look around the area, he looked down at the boy.

"Becoming one with a dragon. That's an amazing story, Rafe. Not bad fer an orphan from Brighton," he replied, though not sure what to believe. After a few moments, Rafe confessed.

"Sorry, Captain, I thought being a stowaway from Brighton to be more believable than what I just told you." Jack was relieved as things about the boy now began to make sense.

"Hmmmm. And women do this too?"

"It's not widely known in the outside world," he explained. "In fact, only one woman has ever attempted to achieve such a medallion, but after receiving it she left the Order rather quickly, and no one has heard from her."

"Aye, I betcha she's probably workin' in a sleazy, low-down tavern somewhere, cookin' and kickin' the butts of bloody rats, real ones or otherwise, eh," Jack replied with a laugh. "Probably using some of them… grassy things."

"Herbs, Captain," the boy nodded carefully putting the medallion away and standing up. "Everyone had to work for the benefit of all there, so it's quite possible her duties were in the kitchen; cooking and cleaning."

"Just like you today," Jack laughed and pointed a finger at him. "Say, Rafe, you and she rather got a lot in common."

"So it would seem, sir," he replied with a little smile.

"She must be some kind of woman, though," said Jack thoughtfully. "Be able to knock men out while servin' them up a great meal. Might just be worth the trouble, ye know, but even with all that, she's definitely my kind of woman!"

Rafe sat back down, and after putting his hand on the boy's shoulder Jack leaned down with a little smirk.

"Though she probably looks like a dog, too...right? And a large one at that!"

Rafe rolled his eyes and shook his head.

"No, Captain," he responded, "From what I heard she was no dog rather had long, dark hair and flashing, green eyes much like the dragon. A real lady I'm told, but also very powerful and deadly. A true warrior. Not someone to be messing with."

"Well, she wouldn't have taken much of a fancy to me, I reckon," Jack remarked jokingly as he straightened up again, "but I think I'll just dream of her anyway tonight. Aye…my very own…Dragon Lady."

"As you wish, Captain," Rafe chuckled, amused by the captain's foolish banter regarding the mysterious woman.

Jack sat down again, and the two men quietly looked into the fire. Rafe picked up a long stick from the pile of branches lying to the side and stoked the fire causing sparks to rise up in the air. The men watched as the small flickers of light quickly disappeared in the night air. After a few minutes of silence, Rafe turned to look at Jack.

"Why do men become pirates?" he inquired in a serious tone.

Still gazing at the fire, Jack thought a moment and slowly shook his head.

"Fer the same reasons that drive men to do anything, I reckon. Greed and…women."

"Women, sir?"

"Of course. Women can't help but be attracted to dark and dangerous men. We're a special breed of men, ye know, and give a woman the notion we need," Jack began to snicker, "redemption. Aye, they love that." He nudged Rafe with his elbow, and the boy gave him a dubious look. "Mark m' word!" Jack asserted. "If ye wanna attract a woman, be a bloody pirate! Now, if you were a woman, wouldn't ye be attracted to me? Honestly." Sticking out his chest, Jack gave him his best smile and waited as Rafe looked him over.

"Honestly, captain… no," the boy answered. Disappointed, Jack's smile turned into a frown. "So, what's the real reason?" Rafe asked again.

"Well, that was my reason," Jack replied. "Anyway, tis a fair question. I'd venture t' say most pirates are… disillusioned with life. Desperate men, indeed. They yearn fer treasure and freedom." Jack paused and thought for a moment, then added, "Ye know, boy, most pirates were once noble sailors of sorts. Aye, tis true. Mostly on them merchant ships or warships, like Gibbs. I guess fer a while that was fine but trust me, mate... there's no real wages or rewards, and it be a hard life to boot. At least piracy gives seafarin' men some hope fer a better life and, more importantly, a chance t' live on 'is own terms, savvy?"

"So, Captain, you're saying life as a pirate is rewarding?" Rafe concluded.

"Aye, tis fair t' say, 'specially with luck on yer side," Jack replied. "But make no doubt. As with anythin' else, it ain't always good. Life can be brutal and short fer the likes of us. There be always the risk of capture by the British and a short, quick, neck-snappin' drop from the gallows." Jack made a hand gesture of himself hanging from a rope.

Rafe nodded his head as Jack continued.

"And of course, there be much competition in these waters, as ye just found out. However, ne'er forget… we're all brothers under the same bloody banner, m' boy. Ye know, always lookin' fer ships with treasure. Any ship! Spanish ships loaded with silver and gold, or them large ships from France or England with all their rich, fancy goods. And, if ye're lucky, there be always the slight chance of chasin' down a ship from the Barbary Coast loaded with gold and ivory." Jack grinned and leaned over toward him with a gleam in his eye. "Aye, Rafe, but also remember this... it's all fer the takin'… fer those who know how to take."

Rafe thoughtfully stared at him for a few moments until Jack finally spoke up again.

"Ye seem to have something else on yer mind, boy, so go ahead and ask, while I'm still in an answerin' mood." Rafe swallowed hard in search of the right words.

"Have you or your men ever killed anyone?" he asked hesitantly yet boldly as he was determined to know the answer.

Not quite expecting that question, Jack looked at him for a long moment then turned to look at the fire perplexed and noticeably uncertain as to how to reply. He then remembered something from a previous conversation with the boy.

"I see where this is comin' from... Joe Hooper! Well, I can tell ye, as sure as the wind blows, by reputation pirates are a vicious and violent lot, and attacks on people frequently come with torture and killin'. So why would anyone think differently of me or m' crew?"

"I want to think differently about you and the crew!" Rafe said harshly. "So please answer the question! I really need to know." Surprised by his tone, Jack tried to be tactful.

"Well, then the answer is yes, but we don't kill fer the sport of it. And don't get me wrong either. I will and have killed to protect m' self, as have m' men. The Pearl's been in several battles at sea, and naturally we've taken lives, but we're not cutthroats that plunder towns and poor, innocent people. But havin' that reputation does help when goin' after treasure ships. We honor the illusion and fear it brings, but just don't be tellin' people that Captain Jack Sparrow is less than his legend."

"Legend? So, do whatever's necessary for the sake of your legend? Well, of course that would be important to you," the boy responded sarcastically.

"Aye, it is. Especially if we're goin' to be successful in our trade as pirates," Jack replied emphatically feeling a little agitated by Rafe's attitude. "Now, if ye don't mind, that's all I care to say 'bout the matter."

"Very well, Captain," Rafe replied and stood up. "Just know that I've come to respect you and the others because I felt you were good and honorable men." Jack gave him a dubious look. "Yes, good and honorable men!" Rafe continued. "And even though you call yourselves pirates and apparently have spent time raiding other ships, it would've been difficult for me being a part of this crew and caring about all of you just to find out I had misjudged you. Please understand, Captain, that in view of my present circumstances, I had to know the truth."

Jack furrowed his brow. The question itself did not bother him, only the fact that Rafe even thought to ask him such a thing. He did not care to have his integrity questioned, though he understood why the boy dared to inquire about such a thing. Rafe walked over to the small pile of branches and put a few more in the fire. A cool breeze had begun to blow in from the sea, and the warmth of the fire felt good on his face. Jack moved a little closer to the flames as well and stared into them. While doing so he idly felt around for some sticks and casually tossed them into the fire one at a time. The next stick he picked up was clammy and limp. He curiously looked at it and to his surprise, saw a small scaly, black lizard hanging from its tail with its head reared up and tongue sticking out of its large gaping mouth. Remembering his encounter with a giant-sized lizard in Morocco, Jack shrieked and quickly threw the hissing creature into the fire, where upon hitting the hot flames it immediately scampered into the nearby bushes. Startled by Jack's outburst, Rafe quietly chuckled when he saw the lizard run from the fire. With his hand on his heart, Jack regained his composure and concentrated his thoughts on returning to the Pearl for he always felt vulnerable on land and needed the feel of his ship and the motion of the sea.

Jack looked over at Rafe and was glad he was with him, and although he had been irritated with him earlier, the boy had a right to know where he stood on some issues. Jack thought how naive he too had been at that age about so many things, but that changed once he became a pirate, forever losing that innocence of youth and seeing the world in a whole, new perspective. The wood crackled loudly, and Jack's attention returned to the fire, gazing into it as sparks occasionally burst out from the flames.

"So tell me, Captain," Rafe finally spoke up after several silent moments. "Have you had any great adventures? What about the stories that made you a legend? Surely there's more to being a pirate than just drinking rum and being chased by the British."

Rafe walked back to where Jack sat to better hear his reply. Jack smiled and continued to look into the fire. Every day brought a new adventure to him. Wherever the sea and wind took him, unusual and exciting experiences were always waiting to embrace him. Some adventures were better than others; some more dangerous, some more thrilling, some more challenging, yet they all left him with some greater knowledge of life, some enlightenment of himself.

"My adventures?" Jack turned to look up at him. "Let's see. There's the time I was dead, and the time I was a skeleton. How 'bout the time I was a dancin' girl or tied up o'er a hot fire?"

Rafe stared at him in amazement and sat down to listen to the captain talk about each one, delighting in Jack's ability to use his wit and escape death time after time. When finished, Jack paused to reflect fondly on the memory of his tales then looked again at the fire wondering if his next adventure had already begun pitting him against Hawk with the boy caught in the middle.

"I see ye're still cooking twigs," Jack chuckled, thinking about the other day when he first met the boy. Rafe remembered as well and smiled back at him.

"Seems I'm good at that."

Jack agreed. Suddenly Rafe heard a muffled sound, and his eyes caught the slight movement of something in the bushes just beyond the captain's shoulders. Not sure if anything was there at all yet not wanting to alarm Jack if it was nothing, Rafe slowly stood up, then moved to the other side of the fire and waited. He narrowed his eyes and instinctively focused his hearing for any more unusual noises, preparing himself for any sudden movement or attack. Jack noticed the changed look in the boy's demeanor and stood up to see what he was looking at.

Without warning a man then another came bursting through the bushes. Jack's eyes widened in shock as the first man rushed toward him. Not having a weapon, he picked up a burning branch in an effort to keep the attacker at bay and swung it back and forth in front of him. When the flame started to wane, he threw the branch at the man and kicked sand in his eyes. Stepping back, the man stopped to rub them, but yelled out in pain after Rafe quickly booted him in the small of the back. The man hit the ground as the other one flung himself at Rafe with a loud, bellowing cry. In a quick, graceful maneuver, Rafe stepped to the side, and hit the man hard across the back of the neck as he charged by. He also dropped to the ground with a loud thud, while Rafe straightened up before him and readied himself for the next attack.

While waiting for him to recover, Rafe quickly glanced over at Jack just as his attacker got up and began a round of punches. Jack took a blow to the face causing him to stumble allowing the man to grab him from behind with an arm around his throat. Struggling to free himself, Jack soon felt the man's hold on him relax as he promptly dropped down to his knees. Jack looked around and saw that Rafe had again slammed the man full force in the back. Wincing in pain, the intruder turned toward the boy just as the other one stood up, and together they cornered him in between them.

Not waiting for them to strike first, Rafe jumped in the air and immediately kicked one man in the face with his boot, then caught the other with a kick to the groin. Jack tottered to the side quite out of breath and watched as Rafe took the two men down. Still amazed at the strength and skill of the little guy, he remembered what Rafe told him earlier about the medallion. Knowing he had been trained for such fighting, Jack therefore felt confident the boy could take care of himself. He was about to go over and check on him when suddenly a third man flew out of the bushes toward Rafe. He had also been watching and after seeing Rafe kick and punch his friends, he too decided to jump in the fray. Jack was startled for the man had waited some time before making his presence known, and Jack had assumed only two men were involved with the attack. As the man snarled and frantically lunged at the boy, Rafe stepped back just as the others recovered and slowly got up off the ground. With the three ruffians now surrounding him and grabbing at him, Rafe continued to punch, jab, and kick them, sending them down again and again. The men took a beating, however fighting in the sand caused Rafe to lose his balance and momentum at times. He quickly began to weaken. When they still rose up again to attack him, Rafe looked for Jack on the side and called out to him.

"I could use a little help, Captain!"

Jack looked around and upon finding a large rock, came up behind one of the men and with a crashing blow to the head, instantly knocked him to the ground. Taking no notice of their fallen mate, the others continued to focus their attention on Rafe. Jack meanwhile turned the wretch on his back and immediately searched his pockets. There he found a small bag of coins and to his delight, a flask of rum. He warily looked around, raised the flask to his mouth, and drank it. After throwing the empty flask away, he put the coins in his pocket and turned to take on another intruder. By this time Rafe had succeeded in disabling the other two men. As they lay unconscious at his feet, the boy took a few wobbly steps and slowly slumped down on the ground exhausted. Jack searched the other two men and found some more coins and more importantly, another flask of rum. He smiled at his good fortune and staggered over to Rafe to offer him a drink. Thinking it was water the boy reached for the flask and took a quick swallow. Immediately he began to choke and cough.

"Easy, son," Jack said as he patted the boy on the back and finished the last of the rum himself. He finally walked around to each of the three men and shook his head as he tried to recognize who they were.

"I don't know any of these scoundrels," he admitted. "Perhaps they were somewhere else on the island and saw our fire."

Rafe gave him a weak nod then suddenly gasped as several more men came through the bushes from the other side of the camp. Jack was also startled and jumped back in alarm but then heard a familiar voice.

"Cap'n… Cap'n Sparrow! It's me, sir... Jonesy."

Jack let out a long, deep sigh then closing his eyes, slumped down on the ground next to Rafe. Finally able to relax and breathe again, the two exhausted men watched as the four men from the Black Pearl came forward and greeted them. They tied up the attackers using rope they had brought with them and left them where they lay. Rafe and Jack swallowed water provided for them and when they had rested enough and regained their strength, the crew doused out the fire. They started back for the ship following the same route they had used to get there. This allowed them to make good time, and Jonesy was grateful they had already cleared a wide path on the way over. With lit lanterns they quickly walked, mostly in silence not knowing if other stragglers were still on the island and after an hour finally saw the distant lights of the Black Pearl through the trees. Once they were back and safely on board the ship, Gibbs took a few moments to talk to Jack in his quarters.

"Feels great to be back on m' ship, Mr. Gibbs." Jack sighed as he sat in his chair and propped up his feet. "Good work, my friend. Ye kept her and the crew safe for me. Also, thanks fer comin' back fer us. True as death, I wasn't sure we'd still be alive."

"Just doing m' job, Captain," replied the first mate.

"And how's the boy?" asked Jack as he leaned way back in his chair.

"He's well by the looks of it and seems content t' be back on the Pearl. Says ye saved him from those scugs. But what I'd like to know is how ye escaped from Hawk in one piece?" Gibbs slowly shook his head. "Can't believe ye managed to slip away. I dare say, I thought ye be a goner this time, Jack, though I always think that when ye're at death's door."

"As do I, Mr. Gibbs, though tis way too long a story to tell now," Jack responded with a grimace as he began to feel some aches and pains from his ordeal. "And I'm way too tired to think about anything other than sleep. I just wanna close m' eyes and hope that the mornin' favors us with fair winds for Gilley's Rock... again."

"Very well, Jack, rest well and… welcome back," Gibbs said as he left the cabin and headed to the lower deck.

"Bloody good to be alive," Jack mumbled to himself and reached for his bottle of rum. He found it almost empty except for one last swig and wondered why. Too tired to dwell on it, he walked over to his table and splashed some water on his face, then took off his shirt and leaned over to blow out a candle. He closed his weary eyes thinking how good it felt to stretch out. Better yet, he still had the taste of rum in his mouth. He smiled, happy to have survived the day. He thought of Rafe and his mysterious gold medallion, the things he did on the Raven and at the beach. He thought about the Order of the Dragon and about her, the Dragon Lady. With a preconceived vision of her in his mind, Jack fell asleep. In his dream he smelled the aroma of a large piece of meat roasting over a fire and heard the sound of tinkling chimes gently blowing in a breeze. A young, dark-haired woman appeared to turn the meat, and when she looked at him he caught a brief glimpse of seductive, green eyes gazing at him through long, dark eyelashes.

In a lower part of the ship, Rafe lay in his hammock thinking of Jack and the day's events. He was frustrated that he had not been successful when he had the opportunity to confront Hawk and Hooper, but he had no choice and certainly did not regret his decision to save the captain. He also wondered if he had been foolish to reveal to him the secret information surrounding the medallion, but it was done now, and in the morning they would set sail for Gilley's Rock. He needed time now to rethink and modify his strategy regarding Jack as a means to get to Joe Hooper, and he would do that once they finally got to the town. He did not have a new strategy in mind yet knew his goal had been compromised by his brief encounter with Joe on the Raven. Joe now knew who he was and what he could do. The element of surprise would no longer be in his favor, and adjustments would have to be made. For now however, Rafe just wanted to get some sleep. It had been a very hard and strenuous day and fighting Hawk's men and those on the island had exhausted him. At last he closed his eyes and soon began to think about strong arms and tattoos, and within a few moments he also fell asleep.

Chapter 5

The next morning they were graced with a strong westerly wind, and the Black Pearl set sail for Gilley's Rock. As she slowly moved out to the open sea, Rafe, fully awake and rested, watched from the side of the ship as the island slowly faded from view. Anxious to make himself useful he walked around the main deck looking for something to do. The crew was too busy and diligent at their duties to take notice of him, but when he saw Gibbs standing at the helm, he smiled and immediately walked toward him. As he approached, Gibbs offered him a smile in return and beckoned him to come closer.

"Well, young Rafe, I see ye've recovered from yer ordeal yesterday. What have ye t' say 'bout the whole matter?"

"Not much to say, sir," Rafe responded, "They threw the captain overboard in chains. I dove in after him and was able to loosen them. I helped him swim to the island, and we waited for the crew to find us. I'm just lucky I was there when he needed me."

"Aye, very lucky indeed," replied the first mate, "And just how did ye happen to be on the Raven in the first place?"

"Uh, well, sir..." Rafe stammered. "I saw the captain cross over to the Raven, and when no one was looking, I, uh… jumped over as well and hid there behind some barrels." When he saw the stern look on Gibbs' face, he quickly added, "I know it was a dangerous and risky move, Mr. Gibbs, but I just couldn't let them take the captain without trying to help, and it did work out for us in the end, right?"

"Aye, that it did, matey," sighed Gibbs putting his arm around the boy's shoulder, "but only by the grace of the great Almighty." He thought for a moment, then said, "Ye know, Rafe, the captain's taken quite a likin' to ye, so guard yerself well. I'm sure Jack wouldn't like it none if somethin' bad happened to ye. It ain't safe anymore with the likes of the Raven in these waters not even for a band of seasoned pirates such as ourselves."

With a wink of his eye, Gibbs gave the boy a hard pat on the back almost knocking the little guy down. Rafe steadied himself and straightened up with a wince. Nodding in agreement, he painfully took his leave and again looked for something to do. He knew it would a while to reach Gilley's Rock, and though he needed to focus on his mission, he still felt he should assist the crew in some way. He missed not seeing the captain around, but assumed he was busy in his quarters. He thought about Hooper, the Raven and how much danger Jack was in as long as they continued to pursue him. He also remembered what Gibbs said and agreed it was dangerous on these waters for everyone, not only for Jack and the Black Pearl. He, however, welcomed the danger for if his plan went well, all would soon be safe from the likes of Joe Hooper and Hawk.

As the ocean breeze picked up strength and blew against his face, Rafe looked up at the black sails and watched them fill up and stretch out forward in the direction of Gilley's Rock. It felt good to be on the ship sailing somewhere, he decided, especially after yesterday's incident. He continued to walk the length of the ship, pausing briefly near the door to Jack's quarters. Not wanting to disturb him, Rafe went to the upper deck and soon began talking with Jonesy, who showed him how to use a compass and allowed him to take the wheel and guide the ship under his supervision. After some time Jonesy took over again, and Rafe walked over to the side of the ship to help with the morning pull of fishing nets for the day's meal.

Jack still lay in his bunk with his eyes closed. Though not quite sleeping, he listened to the sounds of the ship slicing through the waves as they knocked against the hull and heard the wind blow hard against the sails causing the masts to creak as they gently swayed back and forth. Feeling serene and at peace with the world, his stomach soon began to make noises reminding him that he had not eaten anything since the fish yesterday evening. Yawning and deciding it was time to get up, Jack eased out of his bunk and felt the cool, morning air against his bare chest. As the ship rolled with the waves from side to side, he slowly staggered over to the water basin and stuck his whole face in the water causing much of it to spill out over the rim and down to the floor. Finally rising up again and with one eye open, Jack looked for a cloth with which to dry off. He lazily put on his shirt and walked out into the warm sunlight. He took in a deep breath stretching out his arms and with one last yawn, strolled around the ship and up to the helm where he greeted his first mate.

"Fine day, Mr. Gibbs," he said observing the sails. "Good strong breeze."

"That it be, Captain," he replied. "Ye're lookin' rested and none too worse for all that happened. I must admit that was a close call yesterday with Hawk. Why would he be back here after all this time?"

"Bored with plundering and looting and everything else he seems to be doin' these days, I expect." Jack responded. "It wasn't that way when I was with him. Stole mainly from the Spanish treasure ships in the area. Since I left and Joe Hooper's been with him, they've branched out to towns and villages along the mainland. Now, no one's safe these days with the Raven lurking around... not even other bloody pirates."

Gibbs nodded his head in agreement while Jack scanned the horizon and checked the compass to ensure the heading was right. After a cursory glance at the sails, he turned to look at the crew and saw Rafe standing alone near the port side of the main deck looking out over the water. Feeling the sudden urge to relieve himself, he casually walked over to the boy leaning over the side. Rafe felt someone's presence and turned to see who it was just as Jack hopped onto the side wall. Holding onto a support rope, he quickly opened the button to his breeches. With eyes and mouth opened in shock, Rafe immediately spun around and waited for the captain to finish. Jack looked down at Rafe with a puzzled look and when finished, he buttoned up again.

"Ahhh, now I feel better," Jack said as he jumped down from the side of the ship and adjusted his breeches.

"That's just great, Captain." replied Rafe with a hint of annoyance. "Hope you're feeling well today."

"Aye, there's not too much that can dampen the spirits of ol' Captain Jack Sparrow, not even the likes of Hawk, for I can only be… m'self," he explained then suddenly remembering previous adventures, "unless, of course, I'm trying to be someone else." With that he flashed a wide grin and put his hand on the boy's shoulder. Rafe trembled slightly from the touch and turned to face him. He noticed immediately the captain's dark eyes looked tired. His face looked worn and weathered by years being out in the sun and wind. Still it was a strong, handsome face, dark and mysterious, and Rafe felt the urge to reach out and touch his cheek but did not.

"Rafe," Jack said interrupting his thoughts. "Hear ye've been telling the crew I fought those three scamps and saved yer life makin' me a bloody hero. Why?"

Rafe thought for a moment, then feeling a little awkward to face him, turned to look out at the sea biting his lower lip. He did not fight to get glory, only justice, and he certainly did not want that kind of attention. He knew all too well there would be many questions to answer from a curious and possibly jealous crew.

"Well, why not, sir." he replied. "I'm certainly not of any consequence here, but you are the legendary Captain Jack Sparrow. You're supposed to be the bloody hero, not me. You're their leader and should rightfully have their respect and loyalty. Remember, Captain, being a hero is what legends are all about." Jack suddenly felt a slight twinge of guilt knowing he always tried to convince people he was more than he perhaps really was. "Besides, I'll be leaving you and the others anyway," Rafe continued, still looking out over the calm, blue water, "so it's not me they'll remember. But it is important that they remember you, Captain, and the things you've done. Anything I can do to enhance the bravado of your legend, I'll gladly do."

Rafe finally turned to look at Jack and found him staring at the deck, disheartened. He had hoped the boy would stay on as a member of the crew, at least a little longer for he had become accustomed to having him around. After a moment's silence and with a sincere heart, the boy reached out to touch his arm.

"I haven't known you very long, Captain, but I do… know you."

"Know me?" Jack snickered. "All ye need know, boy, is that I'm captain of the Pearl and to sail under my command is to do my bidding and follow m' orders." Jack paused then gave him a reserved yet curious look. "So just what do you think you know 'bout me?"

"You try to hide it, but you have a caring heart," Rafe began. "You care about these men and this ship. You are all bound together by the sea, and you would die trying to protect them. You almost did that yesterday with Hawk. But I also sense… emptiness in that heart. It's a heart that's afraid to feel, afraid of rejection, afraid of wanting and needing, afraid of… belonging. You love the sea and the freedom it gives you, and I'm sure you feel that finding love would only tie you down. Living away from the sea would cause you to take root somewhere. But that would only trap you and keep you bound, so you avoid it. You feel the only way people will respect you and accept you is if you have the reputation of an infamous and legendary pirate. Well, Captain, you can have the glory and the fame, but that still won't fill your empty heart."

"You'd do well to hold yer tongue for enough said 'bout that," interrupted Jack with a stern voice. "I suppose ye think ye got me all figured out, but ye're wrong. I don't need any changes in m' life, and I certainly don't need …" Jack began to cough, "love. I'm happy just the way I am and with things the way they are."

Rafe looked closer into the captain's weary eyes.

"They say if you look hard enough into a person's eyes, you can see into their soul," Rafe said softly almost in a whisper. "Well, I can see in your eyes that your soul is lonely. Please, Captain, don't be afraid to feel, to be… human."

Jack scoffed at the boy's suggestion, yet Rafe still searched the captain's eyes for some indication of understanding. He felt strongly about what he was saying to him and knew once they arrived in Gilley's Rock, there would be little chance of talking to him about these things. With a sense of longing in his own heart, he gathered courage to tell Jack a surprising revelation, something surprising to him as well.

"I promise you, Captain Sparrow, there's someone out there for you. She's just around the corner. She'll know and understand you as I do now, and you'll be free to abandon yourself to her. She'll accept you as you are, for all the good and bad that is you. But I must warn you, sir. She comes with a price for she's not of the sea, but of land. She'll need the feel of soil, and trees, and rocks, and streams about her. She'll have the strength and power to break the wall around your heart and take hold of it. Captain, know that even the sparrow... comes home to nest."

Jack listened to Rafe's words and stared at him for several moments thinking about what he had said. He could not comprehend how this boy, a stranger, could say those things to him and suggest the possibility of someone caring for him. He also felt extremely uncomfortable by Rafe's invasion of his feelings and started to tell him so when he suddenly noticed that same green glow in the boy's eyes that he had seen the night before. There in the early morning the sunlight reflected its green brilliance back into his own eyes and held him entranced until he felt drawn to the boy's face. He quickly focused once again on the conversation.

"Home to nest? Uh… no bloody birdcages fer me, thanks. I'd sooner be in a real cage… dead, tarred and feathered with m' eyes all plucked out." Jack brought his hands up to Rafe's face to imitate birds plucking out his eyes. While Rafe grimaced at the grisly demonstration, Jack moved to the other side of him pensively looking out over the water. "How do ye know these things, mate?" he finally asked and looked at him again. "You have yet to look death in the eye with a sword in one hand, a bottle of rum in the other, and a daring smile on yer face."

"That's true, Captain, but I am just what you see before you, a simple, honest… man. Remember, I'm quite able to sense the spirit of men as the medallion allows me that gift." Rafe remarked and hoping to change the subject of conversation, cheerfully asked, "So, sir, exactly what is…Gilley's Rock?" Jack also welcomed the change with a deep breath of air.

"A town built on a legend," he replied. "Twas more 'n sixty years ago when one, Cyrus Gilley, thrown from a ship, drifted on the back of a sea turtle and washed up on a small island."

"A sea turtle?" Rafe asked.

"On m' word so it was told, but you'd be surprised how many of us ride the backs of sea turtles these days." Rafe was not quite sure he believed the captain and gave him a doubtful look. "Anyway," Jack continued, "near death from exhaustion and thirst was he when he raised his head and saw a large rock with liquid seeping down its side. Thinkin' it be water, he gathered the last of his strength and crawled till he finally collapsed in the sand at its very base. Before passin' out, he strained to look up and saw the strange liquid glistening in the sunlight. He laid his head against the rock with eyes closed, and the fine liquid slowly trickled down onto his face and into his mouth where instead of water, he tasted… rum. He was saved that day and rescued many months later only to return with others to collect the precious liquor. They built a town around the rock, content fer years in blissful drunkenness, bottling the liquid treasure fer rum- runners at a fair profit. Then one fateful night a fearsome storm blew in, and mysteriously the rock disappeared never to be found again." Jack saw that the boy's eyes were wide with wonderment. "Even now Gilley Rock is the best kind of place, and the worst," he admitted. "Depends on why ye're there." Jack put his arm around the boy's shoulder. "Fer you," Jack whispered in his ear, "we'll find ye a fine woman, and I know just the place. Truly nothin' better after a long trip."

Rafe was still pondering the legend of Gilley's Rock when the thought of Jack and women aroused his curiosity.

"Interesting, Captain," Rafe responded teasingly. "You're a man of many travels. Do you have fine women there as well?" Jack gave out a hearty laugh and turned to face him square on. With his fists on his hips, he gave another wide smile then threw up his hands.

"Of course. I got women everywhere I go. After all…," Jack paused to tweak the ends of his mustache, "I'm Captain Jack Sparrow and no better man than I in all these waters and beyond. The women take pleasure when they see me and cry when I leave." He then furrowed his brow and murmured to himself, "Unless they're slappin' me around fer some insane reason."

"Sir, you're not forgetting the Dragon Lady, are you?" Rafe asked in a joking manner.

Jack was just about to respond when Gibbs came up to join them.

"Ah, Mr. Gibbs, I was just tellin' our young friend about the fine women in Gilley's Rock. A man's perfect paradise, wouldn't ye agree?" Gibbs let out a stifled cough.

"Aye, sir. Uh-h, very friendly women there. Very… friendly."

Rafe listened as the two men talked until Jack put his hands on the boy's shoulders again.

"He be a fine looking boy, though a bit thin through the shoulders and well… actually rather puny." Jack looked him up and down shaking his head. "Shame we can't put a little meat on him. Women like big, strapping men, eh, Mr. Gibbs?" Winking at Rafe, Gibbs snickered.

"Aye, these women do," he replied.

"But, Captain," Rafe asked perplexed, "if they like big, strapping men, as you say, then how are you able to attract these women?"

Gibbs started to howl with laughter and patted the boy on the back, while Jack crossed his arms and glared at him.

"By the hair on m' chest and the gleam in m' eye," Jack shot back sarcastically then pointed at him. "Boy, ye're very close to getting yer teeth knocked out," he warned.

"Great, then maybe I can also get some gold ones," Rafe remarked with a big grin. Gibbs continued to laugh and unable to come back with a sharp, witty reply, Jack just shook his head knowing the boy had bested him again.

"Thank you both for your concern," Rafe finally said in the hopes of ending the talk about women, "but I don't think you need to worry about me, or whether I can attract a woman, or even if I'm as good a man as you. For I am, and I think I've proved it. I may be… puny, as you say, but size shouldn't matter."

Jack and Gibbs looked at each other and tried hard to stifle a laugh.

"Of course, he's right, Mr. Gibbs, it shouldn't," Jack responded trying to keep a straight face. "I guess it's really all in how you... uh... " Jack glanced over at Rafe and lowered his eyes, "look at it." Unable to hold back any longer, he suddenly burst out laughing causing Gibbs to follow suit. Rafe rolled his eyes not understanding their ridicule nor amused by it. He finally turned away in a huff and went to join the other crewmates.

"But what did I say?" Jack asked shrugging his shoulders with a puzzled look on his face.

"Nothin', Jack," answered Gibbs with a chuckle, "Nothin' at all."

After calming down and staring out over the water, Gibbs began to talk to him about Rafe in a more serious tone.

"What're yer intentions once we get to Gilley's Rock? Will ye be leaving 'im there?"

"Don't want to really. Would prefer to keep 'im around," Jack answered and immediately remembered the fish. "Say, ye wouldn't believe how good he cooks… and fights. Fer a little guy, he sure can kick, like a bloody kangaroo, jumpin' up in the air and kickin' out his feet. Then all that spinnin' around and fast punchin'. One can get dizzy just watchin' 'im."

"He did all that?" asked Gibbs in amazement.

"And more. Still, there's something very special 'bout that boy," Jack admitted with a sigh. "He soothes m' spirit when he's around. I don't know how, but maybe like a… younger brother or something. He seems a bit naive at times, yet he's still very worldly and has a wisdom that rather…surprises me."

"Jack, not to change the subject, but what happened to the Raven?"

"After Rafe pulled me out of the water, he saw it sail out to open sea chased by a British brig," he responded, then with subtle amusement, "Aye, just what they had comin'."

"But worse be, it's still around and could be anywhere just waitin' for another opportunity to jump us. And ye know, Jack, next time ye may not be so lucky. Nor us fer that matter."

Jack agreed and looked out to sea lost in his own thoughts and recollections of the Raven and Hawk. When Hawk realizes he's not dead and that Rafe saved him, he will certainly have a vendetta out for the boy as well. Those pirates were cutthroats and of the worst kind. Jack knew he was lucky to be alive. Rafe had saved him, but for what? Hawk would surely get another opportunity as Jack could not hide or avoid him forever. Eventually there would be a showdown, but first priority was to get to Gilley's Rock, rest up, get provisions, and hear what is going on in the area. One could always get an earful of information from the mouths of drunken pirates.

"Well, I'll wager we'll know more when we get to Gilley's Rock and to those wonderful, lovely ladies, eh Jack?" Gibbs surmised.

"Indeed, mate," said Jack smiling back at him. "Indeed."

The sun shone hot over the little town of Gilley's Rock, nestled in a small island inlet in the eastern Caribbean. This was indeed a pirate's paradise, safely secluded in a little niche and providing any buccaneer or rogue sweet comforts of home. For a few coins or trinkets, there was food and drink, music and women, gambling, and illegal enterprise. During the hot days with just a few boats tied to the dock, most of the residents slept and the town was eerily quiet, but it was after sundown when ale and rum flowed freely and buxom barmaids bartered their company for shillings and such. It was after sundown when rats came out of hiding and rummaged through garbage piled high behind shops and taverns. It was also after sundown when sometimes hapless men abducted from their drunken stupor found themselves in the morning on ships bound for unknown parts of the world. Yet still they came in search of that little bit of pleasure which took them away from their hard and dreary existence. They came in search of that little bit of paradise to enjoy before death came to claim their tired, crusty souls.

Situated in the center of town a short distance from the docks was the rowdiest, most disreputable alehouse in town, the infamous Dead Bones Tavern. A favorite hangout for all locals and seafaring guests, Jack and his men had spent many a night there drinking and enjoying the camaraderie of the women and all who came in. It was in such a place long ago that Jack first met Joshamee Gibbs and decided he liked him. It was also in a place like this that Hawk made a bold wager with Jack over some gems and lost. This was years before Jack became captain of the Black Pearl only to lose it to Barbossa and his mutinous crew. He had met Hawk in Gilley's Rock and later became his first mate. After a year or so on the Raven, Hawk offered him in a friendly gesture the chance to win that wager. Jack took it and never once looked back, till now. A simple draw of a card and he won the spoils. Hawk was humiliated and said Jack cheated and fixed the cards, however Jack said it was luck. True or not Hawk had sworn revenge, and now he was here and determined to collect whatever he could at any cost.

High tide was rolling in when the Black Pearl appeared in the small harbor and dropped anchor. The sun was just setting when the crew left the ship rowing themselves in small boats out to the docks. Their spirits were uplifted with the thought of meat and hot bread washed down with a good swig of ale. For the next few days, the men were free to do as they wished. Gibbs would contact them later with news of the next voyage if they were interested in taking part. If a man wanted freedom and a desire to see new things and places and was willing to work for it, he was accepted. Then there was always the prospect of treasure to consider.

The last boat to leave the ship included Jack, Rafe and Gibbs. Jack had wanted to keep Rafe close so he would not get into trouble or get hurt. There were certainly some mean cusses in this town and not for the likes of the naive, young man. Jack did not fully understand why he felt protective of him, for Rafe was after all a far better fighter than him and seemed quite able-bodied. In fact, Jack was sure he felt a strange, unlikely sense of pride regarding him. In the few days he had known Rafe, Jack was now able to see the simple innocence of his youth, but there was also something old, something ancient within him, a spirit with the knowledge of peaceful serenity passed down through the ages with the wisdom of life.

Jack began to understand it when Rafe told him earlier on the island about the dragon medallion. He saw it in the boy's eyes and felt it in his presence. Rafe did have that warrior spirit in him, that nobleness of character, seeking good in the world and ready to fight for it, and Jack knew he would probably never again find those same qualities in anyone, least of all himself. For a moment Jack felt a stab of regret in his heart for he also knew he would never be better than he was now; a rogue, a thief, a cheat, a charlatan at times, and a wily, clever pirate captain for sure, though not even a bloodthirsty one. Yet in spite of his chicanery, he knew he was better than before for having known Rafe, even for a little while.

Jack casually looked over at the boy and smiled. Aye, he thought to himself, he was proud of him, and before Rafe journeyed out of his life, he would let him know that. But as the boat approached the pier, Jack focused his thoughts on the impending evening of revelry, for he had the money taken from the men who attacked him, and he intended to spend it. It was going to be a good night for sitting back and having some fun, and with Rafe and Gibbs he was certain to get a few laughs. Amused by that prospect he closed his eyes putting aside all thoughts of Hawk and thinking only of getting his hands on a good piece of meat and a bottle of rum.

The boats docked and the crew hastily made their way down the pier and up a small hill toward the town. Rafe had been quiet coming over in the boat for he knew the time had come for him to leave the Black Pearl and complete his quest. He did not know how to say goodbye to Mr. Gibbs, a fine gentleman whom he had come to respect. Then there was Jack, forever wandering in search of adventure, treasure, and gold. Like the wind blowing endlessly over land and sea, Jack was a free spirit always moving from place to place, seeing the world and being in it, carefree and in control of his own destiny. He, on the other hand, was bound to his oath, tethered to his pursuit and trapped within it. He felt smothered by the overwhelming responsibility that left him gasping at times yearning to be free of it, silently screaming to be able to reach up and grab hold of that wind then gently float upon it as a leaf, free from the bounds of the branch.

Rafe thought about the time he had spent with the captain and was confused by his feelings for him. He had foolishly allowed someone to touch his heart and now wanted the pain of leaving him to go away. He had not been close to anyone in years yet had started to feel accepted by Jack and the crew. Deep down he hoped their paths would cross again, and he would look for him if it was meant to be. He pondered the thought and quietly followed the men as they made their way to the tavern in search of a little fun and merriment.

As the crew went in different directions and not knowing where else to go, Rafe found himself alone with Jack and the first mate. They casually walked along the narrow path leading to Dead Bones Tavern, and while Rafe followed closely behind, Jack and Gibbs engaged in light conversation looking back from time to time to check on the young man. As they turned a corner, the town came alive with the sounds of lively music and the rowdy clamor of drunken men and women. Rafe was fascinated by the sights and sounds, but like a chick following the hen, Rafe stayed close to Jack observing all who staggered by, carefully not getting in their way. All was well until they passed a dark alley, and Rafe felt an odd prickly sensation on his arms and neck. He suddenly stopped to turn around.

Sitting on the ground near the dark opening of the alley was a strange figure, and Rafe narrowed his eyes to get a clearer look. In the light of street lanterns he saw an old black woman, an African woman he surmised, sitting against the alley wall of a small structure with her legs crossed and covered by the length of her long, dark skirt. Wrapped around her head was a light colored scarf that tied on one side and hung down her back, while loosely draped around her thin shoulders was a red shawl, which served to cover her long sleeved dark shirt.

"Come, boy!" the old crone quietly called out, motioning with her hand. "Come to me, come see Sooki!" While she waited for the boy to respond, she reached for a candle and lit it.

Rafe felt strangely drawn to her and glanced back at Jack and Gibbs as they turned another corner and continued toward the tavern without him. He knew he should not stray from them, yet he could not resist his curiosity, so slowly and cautiously he walked toward her. As he got closer he saw in her hands four, small white bones, which she repeatedly shook, let drop to the ground, then picked up again. To the side and spread out next to her was a black cloth upon which she peddled her wares; an assortment of handmade necklaces of shells, beads, small bones, and feathers of white, red, and yellow.

Rafe admired the detailed work of the items for he had never seen such necklaces before. He then looked at her gaunt face as reflections of candlelight danced on her dark, wrinkled skin and noticed short strings of small white bones hanging from each ear decorated with tiny feathers similar to the ones on her necklaces. The bones hung from a gold ring pierced through each earlobe and when she moved her head, they knocked against each other swaying in all directions. She finally looked up at him with her tired, dark eyes and grinned exposing her darkened teeth.

"You want fortune, boy?" she asked enticingly while holding up her hands to display the bones before him. "Sooki see all. Sooki know all. Sooki cast bones for you."

Before Rafe could answer, she quickly took a bowl and another candle from out of an old, weathered straw bag and after carefully pushing the necklaces aside, laid them on the cloth. Striking two pieces of flint together over the wick, she lit the candle, and presently an eerie yellow smoke rose up between them. As Rafe watched the smoke swirl about him, Sooki stuck out her bony hand and waited for a coin. He immediately understood and opened his pouch to search for his money. He finally pulled out a shilling and placed it in her hand, but not before the yellow smoke had seeped into his pouch. Within moments the yellow smoke turned green as a bright light shone from the opening of the pouch. Rafe's eyes grew wide with alarm and turned his back to the street shielding the light as best he could from any curious eyes that just might happen by. He quickly closed the pouch, and the light disappeared. With a sigh of relief Rafe looked down at the old woman who stared back at him, her eyes large and fixated on him, her pupils glazed over. She scooped up the bones with both hands, shook them, and quietly chanted.

"Wiki man, wiki man, hark unto me.

Cast bones for da future, let old Sooki see.

Wiki man, wiki man, let Sooki know,

The truth of dem bones for him fortune be told."

When the chanting ended, Sooki dropped the bones down upon the cloth and examined them closely. She reached into her bag again and brought out an old, dried out chicken leg with outstretched claws, slowly rotating it in circles above the bones. Rafe peered down at the dark and decayed claws and grimaced. He saw that her eyes had rolled up under their lids as she swayed her head around chanting quietly in her native tongue. Moments later she stopped and looked up at him through the yellow smoke.

"Fire burn. Green eye destroy." Sooki raised her hand to cover her eyes as she swayed from side to side. "Aahh. Beast of fire! No can look! No can look! Man of evil! All men die!"

Rafe was shocked by her behavior and strange words, yet understood them.

"You are wise, old woman," he leaned down and whispered. "Fire of the green eye will destroy the evil ones."

The woman quickly opened her eyes and stared at the boy whose own eyes began to reflect the light of her candle in swirling flickers of green. Her mouth dropped in fear, but he gently placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a warm reassuring smile.

Jack and Gibbs, meanwhile, had almost reached Dead Bones Tavern when Jack casually turned to look back at Rafe and found him missing. He immediately grabbed Gibbs by the arm, and together they ran back to retrace their steps. When they approached the dark alley, they saw Rafe standing before the old woman. She was pointing a bony finger at him while the other hand covered her face. Jack wasted no time and quickly went up to him.

"Rafe!" Jack said calmly putting his hand on the boy's shoulder and looking around. Startled by his sudden touch, Rafe abruptly tensed his body and turned around but relaxed when he saw Jack and Gibbs standing behind him. "What are ye doin' here?" Jack asked in a low voice, then looked at the woman strangely. Rafe saw the concerned look on their faces.

"Sorry, Captain. I thought she was a real fortune teller, so naturally I was curious to know what my future was."

"Dead… is yer future, if ye're not careful in a place like this." Jack took hold of Rafe's arm. "Let's go! I don't trust people who see the future in bones… save one, and she ain' that person. Believe me, I've seen too many of them in m' travels."

Gibbs nodded his head in agreement. The old woman looked up at them and grabbed Jack's hand. Rubbing his palm quickly, she felt the lines before Jack pulled his hand away.

"You…man, travel far like wind. Seek treasure." She picked up the bones and after a few shakes of her hands, laid them out on the cloth. "Beware, dark evil follow!" Suddenly she looked up at him in alarm, "Beware the beast! Him with blood eyes!"

Jack grimaced at her prediction as Sooki stared for a long moment at the men then pointed her shaky finger at Rafe and narrowed her eyes.

"You…no man! Sooki know all, Sooki see all. You hide da light, boy, but you…..no man! No man!"

Rafe was stunned by what she said and quickly turned away giving Jack the opportunity to lead him away from the alley and leaving the old woman cackling out to them again her strange and haunting words.

"You…. no man!"

Jack and Gibbs quickly escorted Rafe along the street in silence. Jack saw that the boy was upset over the encounter and after a few more steps, stopped and turned to face him.

"Now hear me, boy! Those people use trickery to snare ye into their game and take yer money. Don't heed them none! In fact, I could've told ye m'self that ye weren't a man."

"What! What are you saying?"

Jack shrugged his shoulders and grinned.

"Ye're not a man. At least, not yet. True. Ye can fight like one fer sure, but deep down ye're still a boy. Aye, a mere snip of a man." Jack put his arm around Rafe's shoulder and glanced at Gibbs with a wink. "But we're aimin' to change all that tonight. So come along now. Time's a wastin'!"

They finally came to the entrance to Dead Bones Tavern where the music was playing loudly. Rafe stared at the weather-worn sign above the door, amused that it depicted a skull and a tankard of overflowing ale, a proper symbol for 'Dead Bones' he surmised. All around locals were mulling around and stumbling about. Jack jumped quickly to dodge a few drunken derelicts as they staggered out through the door. Gibbs laughed and started to walk into the tavern when Rafe suddenly grabbed him and put his arms around his body in a big hug.

"Say, what's all this about?" he asked bewilderedly.

"I… just wanted to say goodbye and thank you for your kindness," Rafe declared in a choking voice.

Surprised and not knowing what to say, Gibbs patted him on the back and looked over at Jack. He too was surprised by Rafe's sudden announcement. After all, where could the boy possibly go in a town like this? He had no friends here and certainly had no place to stay. After a moment Rafe let go of the first mate knowing he and Jack were both waiting for an explanation. He stood before them looking at the ground hoping to calm his emotions.

"I know I told you I wanted to be a pirate," he stammered, "but I believe it's time to see what fortunes lie ahead for me. I'll be fine I promise, and besides, you know I can take care of myself. I'm sure both of you were on your own by the time you were my age."

Jack had to agree with him about that, but Rafe was a better person than he was and deserved better than be left in a place like Gilley's Rock. He quickly looked around and saw the many dangers lying in wait for the innocent and inexperienced young man. He knew no good could come from being alone in this den of inequity, and he feared for the boy's safety.

"Of course you're right, but perhaps in another town, a better place. Just not here... and certainly not now," he pleaded knowing Rafe would continue to seek out Joe Hooper and maybe get hurt or even worse. "Be this about the old woman? Did she scare ye away?"

Slowly shaking his head indicating she had not, Rafe took a few steps closer to Jack and with all the conviction he could muster, looked him sincerely in the eyes.

"Captain, you know who I am, and you know why I'm here. You know I have the power, and you know what I must do."

Jack was shocked and dismayed by the boy's decision and looked at him not knowing what more he could say. He knew Rafe had his own agenda, but he was not expecting him to venture out in pursuit of it this soon. He tried to think of a reason, any reason, to make him stay.

"Ye saved m' life. I owe you in return. Pirate creed, ye know, so you just can't leave yet."

"But you saved me first, Captain… from the sea, remember? I believe we're square."

Not wanting to endure the awkwardness of the moment any longer, Rafe stuck out his hand. Glancing down at it, Jack slowly responded and took hold of it, not wanting to let him go. With one last agonizing look between them, Rafe backed away from him to look at them both.

"I'll always remember you both and carry you... here,'' he said slowly choking on the words as he brought his fist up to his heart. Having said what he wanted to say, Rafe put his hands together and bowed at the waist. Before either Jack or Gibbs could react, he turned and immediately ran off into the darkness of the night. The two men were left standing there in shock and with so many people staggering and walking around, it was impossible to go after him. After several long moments, Gibbs slowly walked up to Jack and put a hand on his shoulder, but Jack could not take his eyes off the place where the boy had just disappeared and soon felt his eyes sting as tears began to form in them, tears he had never shed for anyone or anything in his life.

"Most of m' life I've been alone. I expect it, I deserve it, and most times I even welcome it," he explained trying to keep his voice steady. "I've learned to harden m'self over the years not to care, not to feel, yet in a few short days, that boy, that young man, somehow reached into m' heart and took a piece of it." Jack paused to keep from choking. "I feel a deep emptiness inside, like losing a friend, or a brother, or even... a son. I didn't even get a chance to tell him anything or say goodbye. I feel... I feel so bloody helpless."

Jack hung his head and deeply sighed. Knowing how the captain felt about the boy and feeling some of his pain, Gibbs patted him on the back and nodded his head in agreement for he too felt a loss by Rafe's sudden departure. Then in a low, soothing voice he spoke to him.

"Tis good reason now to go in and get stinkin' drunk."

Jack perked up and nodded, turning his head away to rub his eyes and clear them.

"Aye, and we'll drink to the boy and his good fortune."

Finally as both men turned to go into the tavern, Jack looked once more into the darkness, searching and hoping to see Rafe step out of the shadows and return to him, but when he did not, Jack let out another deep sad sigh.

"Farewell, my young friend."

Alone in the dark and with a heavy heart, Rafe slowly walked through the small rowdy town, keeping away from drunks, derelicts, and pawing women. Tears clouded his eyes, but he saw that everywhere was the same with loud music, men brawling, and women drinking and laughing. He had never been to such a place like this before where bold and brazen behavior beckoned behind every bar and building.

"And this is where Jack and the men come to relax?" Rafe thought to himself all the while amazed at what he saw, but not even the sordid spectacle of a town gone wild without measure could keep his interest for long. He had work to do and time was running out. He needed a place to hide out until morning when he would put into action his next plan. He turned a corner and saw across the way an inn of some sort. Women were down on the main level, hugging and hanging onto their male companions wantonly with bottles of ale or rum in their hands while laughing at the men's antics or teasing them with their eyes and bodies.

Rafe glanced up to the second level and noticed a balcony surrounding the perimeter of the inn. As he studied the structure of the building, he smiled to himself and slowly snuck toward the backside of it. Lurking through the bushes he finally approached a tree near the back wall and struggled to climb up. After sliding over the railing, he furtively moved along the walkway checking the windows of many of the darkened rooms until he found one that was partially open. He quickly climbed through the window and sat on the floor quietly listening for any sounds from the front hall. When confident that all was clear, he quietly crawled to the door to make sure it was bolted.

Once his eyes became accustomed to the darkness, Rafe felt around the room for some sort of light and soon found an oil lamp. He managed to light it and searched the room finding combs and bottles of perfume on the dresser and cheap trinkets and red rouge on the shabby bed table. He looked at himself in the dresser mirror, and though his face was dirty and his clothes rumpled and unkempt, he was not shocked by his appearance. He ran his hand across his face for even his beard made his skin itch. He expected as much, for life on the sea did not come with a change of clean clothes and a washtub in which to bathe.

He did find however a large washbowl, some soap, and towel on a small table near the ruffled bed. He began to clean his face and hands, then took off his scarf allowing his hair to hang down. In a large, old armoire, he found various dresses, scarves, and petticoats with hats and shoes neatly placed on the top shelf. Pleased with what he found, he walked back to the dresser and began to unbutton his shirt. When he had taken it off, he loosened the heavy cloth that was wrapped tightly around his chest and let out a sigh of relief. He looked at himself again in the large mirror and after a few moments flinched as he slowly and carefully began to peel the itchy beard and mustache from his face.

In Dead Bones Tavern the music played loudly while laughter and mayhem danced hand in hand. The rooms were full of loud men drinking and gambling, and women were dancing and sitting on the laps of their drunken admirers. In a far, dimly lit corner, Jack and Gibbs sat alone at a table away from the loud ruckus that seemed to permeate throughout the tavern. After several hours of eating and heavy drinking, they became oblivious to the loud noise. Jack and his first mate clumsily raised their bottles of rum again, and in a slurred voice Jack made a few toasts.

"A toast to the Black Pearl, to fortune, and a long life to enjoy it. And to m' friend and first mate, Joshamee Gibbs, who could really use a bath. And let's not forget my beautiful, butt-kickin', or is it cookin'?" Jack paused to think a moment. "No matter, m' green-eyed dream girl, my oh so alluring (hiccup)... Dragon Lady."

"Aye, Jack," agreed Gibbs drunk and swaying in his chair. "A toast to the Dragon, uh, Dragon... who?"

"Lady," answered Jack very slowly.

"Uh… Lady. Lady Dragon," Gibbs said slowly while holding up his bottle and trying to take a drink. "Say, Jack, what's a… Lady Dragon?" he slurred.

"Dragon Lady," Jack articulated slowly as he leaned over the table toward his first mate.

"So, which then… a dragon or a lady?" asked Gibbs with a burp. Jack furrowed his brow after pondering the question, brought his finger thoughtfully up to his chin and finally shrugged his shoulders.

"Dragon lady, lady dragon… all the same," he answered with a silly, drunken grin, then paused to take another drink and leaned over the table again, "…'cept methinks a lady dragon be a dragon of the female kind, and a dragon lady be a lady… uh," Jack paused again and Gibbs leaned in closer to better hear him. "… ye know, sharp teeth, beady eyes, and green scaly skin."

"Ah," Gibbs said nodding his head with a sly grin and waving the bottle slowly in the air. "Ye must be talkin' 'bout Big Bertha Braun of Portsmouth. So be it then… here's to them both!"

Jack nodded his woozy head, and together they took another drink, then another. Finally, after noisily emptying their bottles and slamming them down on the table, Gibbs promptly laid his head down next to them and passed out. Looking at him through blurry, drunken eyes, Jack leaned over again and awkwardly poked him in the head.

"Yo, Gibbs. Wake up, old man! We need more drinks to toast our little friend, Rafe, wherever he be. Come… as yer Captain, I command you! Raise yer bloody self up, man!"

Jack continued to poke Gibbs until he accidentally poked him in the eye. Gibbs sat up with a jolt then quickly leaned too far back, falling to the floor, and breaking the chair. With a startled and dazed look, Jack looked down at the floor and saw his unconscious friend lying on top of broken wood. Slowly shaking his finger at him, he gave him a serious look.

"Ye're… a very good mate," he slurred while trying to enunciate his words, "but that… that was a very good chair."

Looking around the tavern, Jack struggled to stand up. All around him men and women were drinking and dancing to loud music. Swaying and trying hard not to fall down, he held onto the back of his chair, then squinting to focus his eyes he finally glanced over to the side of the room. There a large, ugly, dark-haired woman in a raggedy torn, blue shawl looked back at him with blotchy skin and missing teeth. Her strange and distracting appearance caught his drunken attention. As he continued to stare at her, he hesitantly smiled back then warily watched as she began to walk in his direction. When she got closer he gave her a puzzled look and slurred under his breath.

"Dragon Lady?"

Chapter 6

Early the next morning the town was quiet except for the few teetering stragglers making their way home after a night full of drunken revelry. Also breaking the calm silence of the morning was the loud snoring of passed out drunks lying in narrow alleys near Dead Bones Tavern. Sounds of gulls flying noisily overhead graced the start of the new day as the sun's rays began to warm the morning air. Sleeping on the ground near some bushes outside of town and with his arm covering his face was Gibbs, and not far from him on a wooden bench near the docks Jack lay passed out and sleeping. Muffled sounds of snoring could be heard from under a woman's torn, blue shawl completely covering him except for his boots and hat.

As the morning sun warmed the shawl, Jack began to stir and slowly pulled it away from his face so he could breathe in the cool, fresh air. Without bothering to open his eyes, he turned his body to face the back of the bench and once more fell asleep. Within an hour the dock came alive with the loud, boisterous sounds of men with boats and cargo. Jack slept undisturbed until he heard the faint rustling of petticoats and smelled the delightful fragrance of perfume pass by him. He immediately opened his eyes and upon seeing only the back of the bench, tried to flip himself over only to get tangled up in the shawl like a cocoon. In his efforts to free himself of it, he wiggled around losing his hat and promptly fell off the bench where he continued to bounce and twist his body but to no avail. His arms were pinned inside the cloth, which had snagged on the belt crossing his chest and the pistol in his breeches.

Struggling to uncoil the shawl he inadvertently writhed and tossed his body over to where the ground sloped downward toward the pier. Before he realized where he was, he began to roll down the hill, slowly at first but then more rapidly all the while bumping his head on the uneven ground. With a hard thud he hit the pier where the wooden planks met the uneven ground and bounced onto the long wooden landing. He continued to roll down the pier until a raised nail snagged the shawl and held it firm allowing him to finally unravel himself from it. He gradually sat up to look around pausing a few moments to focus his eyes and clear his dizzy head for his tumble down the hill clearly served to enhance the drunken effects of the previous night.

He stared at the old shawl and after shaking his head in disbelief, closed his eyes again and groaned. When he opened them again he threw the old shawl over his shoulders into the water behind him and looked down the end of the pier. He smiled when he saw the backside of a woman walking toward where the larger boats were moored. Her long, pale yellow dress shimmered in the glow of the morning sunshine as well as her matching frilly hat. As she walked slowly past the men, each one looked up from his work and stopped to longingly gaze at her. Likewise Jack stared and made a note of her every curve.

"Ah, tis verily true beyond all doubt," he said to himself with a grin. "The blessed sight of a bonny lass can stir a dead man's blood."

Jack continued to stare at the woman, but his gaze soon wandered past her to the Black Pearl still anchored and undisturbed in the harbor. Satisfied that his ship was secure he quickly turned his attention back to the woman where he overheard her talking with several of the workers on the docks. Wondering why such a lady would be in this wretched town in the first place, Jack staggered to get up and stretched his legs. He straightened out his clothes, smoothed out his mustache and beard, and without further thought strolled down toward the end of the pier to find out. Teetering a little from side to side as he got nearer, he could hear her asking if anyone would provide her passage to her home on the island of Antigua.

"Please sir, won't you help me?" she pleaded. "My father is quite a wealthy man and will pay handsomely for my safe return to Antigua. With all these ships in the harbor, I'm certain someone will be obliging. Please ask everyone you can."

The man nodded and said he would check around on her behalf then quickly walked toward to the town. The young woman stared out over the water at the Black Pearl and turned around almost bumping into Jack. His mouth dropped as he gazed at the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. She was young and shapely for her dress accentuated a small waist and a generous swell of breasts modestly concealed by the gathered lace of her bodice. Her shiny, dark hair was pulled up and covered by the hat, but several thin, little curls hung down near her eyes. She tried to avoid looking at him, but when she finally raised her face, he could not help but notice her green eyes, which appeared to sparkle as they looked at him shyly through long, dark eyelashes. He thought they seemed to be the same eyes he had seen before in a dream, and as he continued to stare at her face, he could barely speak. The bright sunlight illuminated her smooth, flawless skin highlighted by a hint of blush in her cheeks, and when she looked into his dark eyes her full, moist lips smiled at him.

"Pardon me, miss," he finally said when he got the nerve to speak. "I didn't mean to...to... uh… startle you." She seemed shy and awkward at first but soon spoke in a soft, sweet voice.

"Thank you, sir. I'm afraid I've gotten myself in a bit of a situation. I've been stranded here by another boat when I was supposed to sail to Antigua. My family must be desperate to know where I am. Can you help me, or do you know someone with a boat?"

"A boat?" asked Jack still a little shaky and unsteady. "Why, miss, there's a ship in the harbor. Look!" He strained to focus his eyes on several large ships then finally pointed to the Black Pearl. The young woman also looked to where he pointed and turned again to face him.

"Yes, I see. And do you work on that ship, sir?" she asked innocently.

"Uh, work… on the ship?" Jack chuckled as he leaned down toward her and looked into her eyes. "I'm the captain. Captain Jack Sparrow, and that's m' ship, the Black Pearl."

Smelling rum and cheap perfume on him caused her to take several steps back, and she wondered just what he had been up to the night before. But that thought quickly disappeared for when he suddenly bowed his head, she began to quietly giggle to herself.

"Why, you are such a gentleman, Captain Jack Sparrow," she said coyly. "Though it seems you had quite a good time last night." Jack's eyes opened wide at her remark.

"Last night?" He quickly glanced around. "You, um… weren't at the tavern last night, were ye?" he asked still not fully knowing what happened to him.

"Certainly not, Captain!" she responded pretending to be offended. "I don't go to such places! I just surmised that from the interesting smell of rum and perfume on you."

"Oh sorry, I reckon I was in rare form last night as I'm most nights away from the sea," he agreed giving her a wry look, "But as they say, today is a new day and aye, I am indeed a true gentleman." He leaned a little closer. "Now tell me, dear lady, just why would someone like yerself be standin' on these docks in a town like this?"

The woman was about to answer when she glanced over his shoulder and saw a few men quickly coming toward them. Though she was not surprised, she indicated to Jack with her finger to look behind him.

"Thar she is! Just like I told ye," yelled the dockhand to the men coming down the pier with him. "See… she be a real lady. A real lady!"

Jack heard them and spun around with his hands outstretched to keep his balance and ensure her safety, then with his usual grin and flashing teeth he cordially greeted them.

"G' mornin, mates. What business seek ye here?"

"That be it exactly… mate… business," said one of the scowling men. "Here tell the wench…" Jack gave him a stern look. "Uh, sorry… the lady is lookin' fer a ship to take her somewhere. So, we're here fer the job. Now, stand aside!"

Fully awake and on the alert Jack felt indignant toward him and his lack of respect for the young woman. He narrowed his eyes and was ready to draw his sword when Gibbs suddenly showed up behind them holding Jack's hat in his hand.

"Mornin', Jack," he stammered and yawned while rubbing his eyes and trying to wake up. The men turned to look at the big man standing quietly behind them. "Found yer hat. Say, what's goin' on here, and who be all these people?"

"Mr. Gibbs, this young woman wants to go to Antigua and needs a ship to take her there. These ... uh… gentlemen have offered to do that." Jack looked them up and down with a grimace then turned to the young woman. "Twould seem, miss, ye have a decision to make."

The young woman readily agreed, and as the lecherous men stood leering at her and elbowing each other, she looked at each one thoroughly before making up her mind.

"Thank you all for your concern, kind sirs, but since Captain Sparrow had already offered his ship prior to your arrival, I feel rather obliged to accept." Finally turning to Jack, she winked at him and announced. "Captain Sparrow, I can't seem to resist your charm or your ship. When do we sail? I'm most anxious to be on our way."

Jack's eyes widened with surprise and he hesitantly looked at Gibbs who looked back at him sternly. Not knowing what to say he, nevertheless, gave the other men an arrogant smirk and watched as they slowly walked away grumbling. Once they were off the pier, he turned back to the young woman with a hint of annoyance.

"Madam, I showed ye my ship, but under no circumstances am I sailing to …"

"I'm sorry, Captain. I didn't know what else to do. I just couldn't say yes to those men. I'll find someone else. Goodbye, sir." She turned to walk away then felt Jack's hand touch her arm.

"Wait. I'll, uh…," Jack swallowed hard, "need time to round up m' crew and get provisions fer the ship. Right, Mr. Gibbs?" Jack took his hat from Gibbs. He hit it against his leg while Gibbs shrugged his shoulders and with a polite smile nodded his head in agreement.

"Oh, thank you, Captain," she beamed and shook his hand. "And will you have time to bathe and clean your clothes?" She casually raised the back of her hand to gently touch her nose.

"Bathe?" Jack uttered in surprise. Gibbs cleared his throat, and Jack quickly gave him a curt look. He looked down at his clothes and could smell the cheap perfume on them. "Uhhh… I reckon," he replied reluctantly and promptly stepped to the side to speak with his first mate.

"Mr. Gibbs, the day seems to have brought us a rather lucrative opportunity. Please take our guest and any of her things to the ship. Then find the crew and be ready to sail upon my return. I'll be back as soon as I take care of a few… um… things."

"And where are ye going now, Captain?" asked Gibbs.

"Where? To take a bloody bath, of course," he whispered sarcastically not knowing quite where to go, "If ye can find one in this rat hole," he snarled to himself as he walked with Gibbs toward the young woman.

Jack introduced her to Gibbs and watched as his first mate helped her get into their small boat and row back to the Black Pearl. He noticed she did not have any possessions with her, which he thought was strange. What woman doesn't travel with a load of bags and such, he thought to himself, but since he did not normally socialize in the circle of fine ladies, he quickly dismissed the thought. Now Jack had to find a place to bathe and clean up. It was just as well for he felt rather raunchy and no telling what he and that toothless wench did together. Jack made a face and stuck out his tongue a little just thinking about it. Next, he would need to get the provisions for the trip and prayed he had enough money left over to pay for them.

As Jack found the public bathhouse, he gave a dark-haired woman a coin and looked carefully to make sure she was not the same woman he saw last night. But when she smiled, he saw her teeth and knew all was well. He gave her his clothes to be cleaned as well then went to sit down in a soapy tub. The water was steaming hot but felt good and relaxing. He laid back in the water and let the heat soothe his body and ease his tensions. For many minutes he relaxed, something he had not been able to do for a long while. After some time the old woman brought back his clothes and though still a little damp, hung them near the tub. She went to sit in the corner of the steamy room and waited while he picked up the soap and actually washed himself.

He could not believe what had just happened. Just an hour ago he was content to be drunk, dirty, and sleeping on a wooden bench looking forward to a few days of rest and relaxation, and now he was sitting in a tub of hot water taking a bath of all things and getting ready to sail again with the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. He took a few minutes to gather his thoughts and think about what he needed to do to prepare for the voyage. Everything was happening so fast that he had not had a chance to think about Hawk or Rafe, and maybe it was just as well. He tried not to think about Rafe but still wondered where he was and what he was doing. His heart was again saddened knowing the boy would not be leaving with them.

But what a turn of events, Jack thought to himself. Just when he and the crew were down on their luck and last coin, this unexpected chance to earn some money presents itself. Earning money! Though against the idea at first of sailing the whole way to Antigua with a woman no less, he now welcomed the opportunity to provide for his ship and crew. But still he had many questions. Where did this woman come from, and how did she end up in this wretched place? He also knew what Gibbs was going to say the next time he saw him, and he'd be right. "Bad luck to have a woman on board!" Well, it was bad luck to run into Hawk the other day, and there were certainly no women around then. Still, he sighed when he thought again about Rafe. He sorely missed him, though he would never admit it to anyone other than maybe Gibbs, and he soon laughed thinking about Rafe and the old Wicki woman.

"Blast that bloody revenge of his!" Jack said under his breath. Rafe could have still been with them now, he thought, and he would have liked this young woman. He chuckled at the thought of them, thinking everyone should have a chance at love at least once in their life, maybe even him one day if he does not get too old to enjoy it. As his mind drifted to the topic of women he tried to remember the activities of last night and groaned again wondering just how he ended up in that old hag's shawl.

While Jack contemplated his next voyage, a few men had already gathered at Dead Bones Tavern for their daily dose of drinking and gambling. Though early in the day, the bar was now open, and the men picked up their brew and sat down at a table to drink and play cards. As they placed their bets, some of them talked about the young woman on the pier.

"Jack Sparrow stole her right out from under our noses," protested one angry man slamming his fist down on the table.

"Yeah, the bloody pirate," moaned another. "Always thinks he's better 'n the rest of us."

A one-eyed stranger sat quietly alone in a dark corner and listened intently to their loud conversation. Taking occasional sips from his bottle of rum, he looked around the room from time to time. The dealer laid out the cards, and the gamblers carefully sorted through their hand. Forgetting about Sparrow, they noisily made their bets, and the prize money was passed around from time to time as different men won the pot. Not wasting any more time, the stranger finished his drink and casually made his way over to the table of gamblers.

"Lady say where she was headin', mates?" he asked with a deep voice looking over the shoulder of the man seated before him.

"Uh, yeah…said something 'bout Antigua," offered the gambler. The stranger dropped a coin on the table, but when the gambler turned to look at him, the man had already disappeared.

Gibbs ran around the ship trying to get things ready for their departure. He had assembled most of the crew, while the others got word and finally made it back to the ship on their own. Not fully understanding why they were leaving so soon having just arrived in town the night before, Gibbs gave them a brief explanation and had them hoist the anchor and prepare the riggings and sails for the upcoming voyage. They worked diligently so they could cast off once Jack returned. Fortunately they did not have long to wait. Seeing a large wooden cart come down the pier, Gibbs looked through his scope and saw that Jack had gotten some well-needed provisions for the trip. While the captain waited with the goods, Marty and a few others from the crew began maneuvering the Pearl toward the docks to load up the valuable cargo. It would take two days to get to Antigua, and Jack wanted as much supplies and food as he could afford. As the ship came nearer, he supervised while some of the dockhands unloaded the cart. Once his crew arrived, it took no time to carry the cargo aboard ship and place them in the galley or lower them down in the hold through the hatchway on the main deck. As Jack came aboard, he went directly to the helm where Jonesy and Carlos were waiting.

"I say, there be a sweet fragrance in the air, ol Jonesy boy," Carlos remarked as he sniffed the air near Jack and poked Jonesy in the side.

Jonesy began to chuckle until Jack gave him a disapproving glance, then quickly stopped and stepped away. Jack finally took the wheel and gave the command to cast off. As he guided the ship out of the harbor, he regretfully thought of Rafe, and with a final look at Gilley's Rock before turning out to sea, he said a silent, sad farewell to the boy. The ship at last sailed into calm, open water. Jack checked the sky and wind direction, then set the course for Jonesy and gave him the helm. With the crew dropping sails and putting away the supplies, Jack went straight away to his quarters where he found his guest waiting for him. As he walked through the door, he paused for a moment. She was sitting in his chair, but when she saw him enter, she immediately stood up and stepped away.

"No, please have a seat," he said cordially. She smiled back to show her gratitude and slowly sat back down. "As I said earlier, I'm Captain Jack Sparrow, and this ship is the Black Pearl," Jack said as he began to walk behind her. "Now ye first need to understand this is not a pleasure ship, and as a rule women are not welcome. You will not be allowed to wander about the ship as the crew has their duties. Now I have some questions."

The woman turned her head to look at him and found him smiling down at her exposing his gold teeth. She nodded her head and turned back quickly trying hard not to laugh. "To begin with…what's yer name?"

"Julianne Whitbourne," she replied. Jack scratched his head and repeated the name.

"Julianne Whitbourne. Jul-i-anne. Ye know, that's a very respectable name, and I'm sure it suits ye well, however it's too long and formal. Jul-i-anne," he repeated again. "So as long as ye're on this ship, ye'll be known as… Jul. No, more like Jewel, for … well, if ye don't mind me sayin', miss, I'm… rather fond of the word. Now do ye have any objection to yer new name?"

Julianne, now Jewel, shook her head. She looked at him with laughing eyes amused by his logic, and since he showed no indication of rudeness or roguish behavior, she relaxed and gave him a big, warm smile.

"Good. Now that we got that out of the way, tell me honestly… how did ye end up in a place like Gilley's Rock?"

"Actually, quite simple, Captain. I was on a ship from England when we encountered a terrible storm at sea. The ship suffered severe damage, and… several lives were lost. We were lucky to make it to the Virgin Isles. I tried without luck to get passage on another ship going to Antigua. Finally a man said he would take me right away, so I paid him all the money I had left. Well, as you can see, he didn't take me to Antigua at all, rather to that horrid town full of pirates. Why, he even tried to sell me to a fat, ugly man with rotten teeth and a missing ear. I managed to get away and hid all day till luckily I found a woman kind enough to take me in for a night."

Jack walked around to the front of her and leaned down on the table to face her. He considered her extraordinary explanation and with a chuckle to himself wondered just how much the fat, ugly man was willing to pay for her.

"So, how much was he askin'?" he inquired out of curiosity. Jewel stared at him without replying until he spoke more seriously. "So, ye really have a wealthy father livin' in Antigua?" "Of course, Captain Sparrow," Jewel replied looking into his dark eyes. "My father is Richard Whitbourne, and he grows sugarcane on our plantation. If you're worried about not getting your money, Captain, I can honestly assure you that you will."

Jack gave her a big grin, and again she saw his gold teeth.

"Why, Captain, I've been noticing something about you," she commented. "You certainly have some beautiful gold teeth." She leaned toward him and whispered, "You must be careful not to wager them in case you lose, for it would be a shame to mess up such a... nice mouth." Jack was surprised by her sudden closeness and her remark about wagering his gold teeth.

"Have ye been talking to Gibbs?" he asked looking at her through narrowed eyes.

"No, just you, sir," she laughed then sat back giving him a serious look. "Now I have a question for you. Are you a… pirate?"

"Why? Don't I… look like one?" Jack tilted his head and smoothed out his mustache then raised an eyebrow. "Arrgh," he playfully added. Jewel laughed and acknowledged his gesture.

"I'm sure I wouldn't know. It's just that sometimes things are not always what they appear, Captain. So with that said, what accommodations have you for me aboard this ship?"

"Accommodations?" Jack had to think long and hard about that, after all, this was not a hotel, and he was not really expecting to have a woman on board the Pearl. Still it would not be proper having her bunk with the men, he thought, being a lady and all, and sleeping on the hard and sometimes wet, wooden deck would more than likely be uncomfortable especially if the ship began to toss back and forth due to rough waves. He simply could not have her rolling around the deck all night bumping into things. Jack chuckled to himself just thinking about it, but with a little sigh he resigned himself to the fact that she would have to stay in his quarters for the duration, and he would be staying with Gibbs. What a bother that was going to be.

"Captain?" Jewel asked sweetly.

"Aye, accommodations. Ah…here, I guess," Jack replied reluctantly and looked around the room. "So, where are yer things?"

"Oh, that. I'm afraid I actually have none," she said regretfully biting on her lower lip. "Unfortunately I lost everything during the storm and when I changed ships." Jack was surprised and paced the floor in front of her. "Will that be a problem, Captain?"

A problem? He pondered that question. It was one thing for him and his men to wear the same thing day after day. They were men and sailors at that. They were used to dirt, sweat, odor, bugs, and even each other. Still women were different. They preferred cleanliness, at least he thought they did, though he did know a few who could choke a corpse. Jack looked at the dress she wore. It was nice enough and complimented her figure without question, but his men were not used to having a woman on board, especially one like her. He was concerned they would become too distracted to do their work, so to alleviate the situation he thought of an alternative.

"Well, 'twould be a shame if something bad happened to yer dress before we got to Antigua." he remarked moving toward his closet. "I'll check to see if I got something more comfortable for you to wear fer the trip."

"Thank you, sir. You know, I've never worn men's clothing before, but I'm sure I'll be very comfortable wearing yours." Jack gave her a curious glance, and she turned to look away from him and silently giggled to herself.

"There should be… something." Jack looked in his sparse closet and found one shirt. Being the only item in there, he studied it for a moment, actually quite surprised to find it. After sniffing it and finding it acceptable, he promptly handed it to her.

"Thank you again, Captain," she said demurely and held it to her body to check its length. "Have you nothing more or should I wear this just by itself?"

Jack had not considered that yet amusingly visualized her predicament.

"Sorry, that's it," Jack quickly replied knowing she would now have to stay in his quarters. "So then, I'll leave ye now." Jack was anxious to leave, but when he turned to walk away, Jewel quickly came up to him and whispered sweetly in his ear.

"Mmmmm, Captain, a bath can sure do wonders for a person." she said then sniffed his neck, "I can still smell the soap on your skin."

He took in the fragrant scent of her hair and closed his eyes when he felt her warm breath on his neck. He opened them again when he felt her move her face away and turned toward her. His face felt flushed, and he strove to calm his heavy breathing.

"Good. It'll have to…last…fer a while," he stammered. A very long while, he thought to himself. She looked at his face and studied it with flirtatious, sparkling eyes.

"You are really quite handsome, Captain Sparrow," she boldly remarked then lowered her head and slowly backed away from him. Jack was stunned and blushed with embarrassment.

"Hmm-mm-mm… indeed," he said shyly and quickly left the room.

After his departure, Jewel looked around for something to drink. She saw a pitcher of water and walked toward it taking off her hat and placing it on the table as she walked by. The water was cool, and she scooped up a handful to splash on her face allowing some of it to run down her neck and under the fabric of her dress. She unfastened a few buttons on her dress and decided to rest and lie down in the bunk. Holding his shirt next to her face, she felt the softness of the fabric against her skin and closed her eyes. The dress however became uncomfortable. She finally stood up again and unfastened it. After it slid down to the floor, she put on the shirt.

"I could stay in his shirt forever," Jewel thought to herself running her arms up and down the long sleeves. She looked at the rest of her clothing. Instead of ladies' frilly undergarments she wore a pair of men's black breeches and an old belt. Opening a pouch that hung on the belt, she took out a carefully wrapped medallion and gazed at it. At last she raised her eyes to look at the door and spoke in a low, soft voice.

"Dear, sweet Jack, as fate would have it we have crossed paths again, only this time you will learn that I am the Dragon Lady. Soon you will know and understand one sure thing, for that which seems real is not, and that which does not seem possible, is. My mission is near its end for my senses tell me that my enemy is close and coming for me. Evil... is coming for me. But in reality, I am coming for him, and as you will try to save and protect me from him, I will actually save you. The time is near, the evil has been judged, and I am the hangman. I swear, Jack, by all that is in my soul, all that I've endured and prepared for, all whom I've loved and lost, his terror will end by my hand and through the power of this sacred, golden talisman."

Jewel looked down at the medallion again and smiled. Gently moving her fingers along its golden edge, she brought it up in front of her face and stared into the emerald. Soon the sparkling jewel began to glow and reflected its light back into her eyes as she whispered to it.

"Through our will and the power we possess,

Evil shall perish and no longer will molest."

After a few long moments staring into the emerald, her concentration broke, and she blinked her eyes. She carefully put the medallion away and lay down in Jack's bunk again for she had gotten little sleep in Gilley's Rock and would need her rest if she were to face the enemy soon. She thought about Jack and the Black Pearl, and whereas she was sworn to do the will of the dragon, she would protect Jack as best she could. Her eyes were tired and as she closed them, in her mind she practiced her moves and focused her spirit in quiet, peaceful serenity.

Up on the main deck Gibbs supervised as the crew went about their normal daily routine. His head ached from last night's little rendezvous with a few bottles of rum, and he wondered why his back was sore. He thought about the events of the last few hours. He remembered Rafe had left, he and Jack got drunk, he woke up alongside a road with a hangover, and suddenly they were back on the Pearl sailing to Antigua with a woman no less. He also remembered the last time they had a woman on board the ship. They encountered all sorts of weird, unnatural things and were quite lucky to come out alive.

"No telling what'll happen this time, but I bet Hawk will be involved," he said under his breath while slowly rubbing his throbbing head. Still the young woman was nice and pretty, he thought, anything to brighten up this group of crusty and sometimes cantankerous men. It would also do the captain good to have a distraction for he took it very hard when Rafe left. Now if they could only get to Antigua unscathed, he would be happy. Just then Jack came up to his side.

"I'm letting her use m' quarters, so I'm bunking with you while she's here." Just as Gibbs opened his mouth to respond, Jack quickly interrupted him. "Ye don't got to say it, mate. I already know."

"Aye, Jack, so I guess ye'll be sleeping on the floor, right?" Gibbs said with a grin and a pat on the captain's back.

Jack rolled his eyes and in a huff walked to the other end of the ship. He was already becoming disgruntled over the complication of having this woman on the ship, yet he was also intrigued by her. She had flirted with him, which now annoyed him. He knew he did not have the time or inclination to be concerned over the comfort of a woman. He had a ship to command and needed to be on the lookout for Hawk and the Raven. He began to wonder if he had done the right thing by offering to take her to Antigua. He and the men had just gotten to Gilley's Rock for some relaxation. He had also hoped to run into Rafe and persuade him to come back. Now those opportunities were gone, and they were back at sea. Still he could not have let those mangy miscreants get their hands on her. Yes, she was lucky that ole Jack came along. Smiling to himself, he thought about his saving two stranded souls from their dire situations… first Rafe and now this woman. Still there was always the payment to consider. Only now he had to decide what to do with her until they got to Antigua and more importantly, how to convince Gibbs to sleep on the floor.

As the sun rose high in the sky, the ship's cook began to prepare their meal. The men had not eaten that morning and were getting very hungry as usual. Jewel woke up and feeling restless and lonely wondered if she should go out on deck, for while she knew Jack and Mr. Gibbs would not approve, she just could not stay in Jack's boring quarters all day. Through the open windows she could smell the smoke of the cook's fire and seeing no harm in it, decided to see if she could help. She got dressed again and slowly opened the door to look around. Many of the crew were on deck watering down and swabbing the floorboards. Not seeing Jack or Mr. Gibbs, she quickly walked over to the opening of the galley and went in.

The cook was already sitting near the black stove in the middle of the galley where wood was burning strong. A heavy, thick iron grill was laid across the top upon which to cook or boil. Near the stove but along the outer wall of the ship were some large wooden boxes stacked neatly one on top of the other. The boxes were opened on the side allowing a person to reach in if needed. It was within these wooden boxes the cook had randomly placed the provisions Jack had earlier purchased for the trip. Larger items lay on the floor along the wall. Jewel saw bags of flour, potatoes, salt, dry beans, limes, barrels of salted beef, and water, and of course rum and beer. The remaining items as well as more rum and beer were stored in the hold below.

The main staple of all the meals was hard biscuits, but the crew set out the nets everyday and succeeded to catch enough fish to feed them all. The fish had already been hauled in, and the cook was just starting to clean them. Afterwards the fish would be ready to boil. The cook knew a woman was on board but had not seen her until now. He was a bit nervous when she came through the galley door to ask if she could help. At first he just sat there not knowing what to say. She was finely dressed with fashionable upswept hair, and he was not quite sure what she could do, but he smiled and accepted her offer to help hoping the captain would not object.

"What's your name?" she asked looking around the room.

"Gabe."

"I suppose that's short for Gabriel."

"Yes'm," he nodded, "Cap'n Sparrow, he don't specially like them long names none."

"I've noticed," she replied, "Still, it's a good name for a pirate and a cook."

Gabe stared at her still feeling awkward by her presence, but quickly nodded his head in agreement. Jewel asked if she could prepare the meal while he watched. Seeing nothing wrong with it, he readily agreed. Jewel found a large cloth and tied it around her waist, then went to work by setting a large pot of water on the grill to boil. While waiting for it she combined flour, salt and water into a mixture for biscuits and set it to bake. When the water was ready, she made a soup using beans and pieces of salted beef. Setting the soup aside to simmer, she next placed some of the fish in an old iron skillet and cooked it over the fire. At the same time, she boiled potatoes and before long she had soup, fish, boiled potatoes with gravy, and hard tack biscuits for the men. Gabe watched her and was certainly surprised that a lady had such skill at cooking and equally impressed with how fast and organized she was. Certainly, she knew what she was doing, and he was glad she was there. Next, the table was set with wooden plates, bowls, and spoons. Most of the crew had their own knives, and though there were no forks, it made no difference. The men usually shoveled their food with spoons or simply ate with their hands.

It did not take long to announce the meal, for the men could already smell the food and were waiting by the steps outside the galley, pushing and shoving to see who would be first. Jewel saw them there and like a mother watching over her children, told them to go wash up before eating. They looked at each other with scowling faces and rushed back and forth looking for the buckets of water scattered around the ship for scrubbing the wooden planks of the deck. Not realizing food was being served already, Jack watched in amazement as the men raced around washing their hands and wondered what had gotten into them. After their hands were clean or as clean as they would be, they ran back to the galley, many with their own bowls and spoons. Gabe and Jewel had already set out the food in old tarnished pots. There the men waited patiently at the galley opening with chests heaving in their efforts to catch their breath.

Jewel finally motioned with her hand, and the first ten men were allowed to come in and get their food. They left to find a place topside or sit among the cannons on the gun deck thus allowing the next group to enter. As they began to devour their meal, the other men took their food and found other places to sit, many on the lower deck. The men ate fast and heartily for, like herself, most had not eaten and were now ravenous. With big swallows of food and gulps of ale from wooden tankards, they soon finished eating and got up to leave. Once they were back on the main deck, word quickly got around that the young woman had cooked for them. When Gibbs heard about it he shook his head and immediately went to search for the captain.

"She did what!"

"Cooked fer the men, sir."

"It does seem like the food smells better than usual," said Jack sniffing the air. "But what's in her head that possessed her to cook? She's a guest on this ship, and a payin' one at that. She's supposed to stay in m' quarters, not roam about like one of the crew. Next thing ye know, Mr. Gibbs, she'll be tuckin' the men in at night and tellin' them bloody bedtime stories!"

"Aye, that may be, Captain," Gibbs said impatiently with his stomach growling, "But let's worry 'bout that later. I'm starved, so let's get some food while there still be some to go 'round. What d' ye say?"

"I say, indeed, after all we don't wanna be rude to our guest now, would we?" Jack replied raising an eyebrow and without waiting for a response, quickly pushed past Gibbs in order to get to the galley before him.

Upon arriving they found the table set for them with bowls of hot soup, a plateful of fish, potatoes, and fresh biscuits accompanied by a few bananas and berries left over from the other day. The two hungry men quickly sat down to feast on the food in front of them. Jewel stood off to the side and watched with satisfaction as the men happily ate their food. Finally Gabe and Jewel had time to prepare a bowl for themselves and sat down in a near corner to eat. When the food was gone, Gabe began to clean up the area. Satiated, Gibbs finally got up from the table and strolled over to the young woman.

"Thank you, ma'am, that was a great tasting meal," he said smiling and patting his stomach. He then bowed his head and left the galley leaving Jack alone at the table.

Jewel busied herself helping Gabe clean up and put away the pots. She purposely ignored the captain and perceiving his disapproval, kept her back to him hoping to avoid an awkward confrontation. Within moments she sensed him standing behind her and deliberately stepped back and into his arms.

"Oh Captain, I'm so sorry. I didn't know you were right behind me," she lied as she coyly looked up at him.

Startled by her closeness, Jack gazed into her eyes. He thought again that he had seen those eyes before and thought about Rafe with his green eyes. He suddenly felt drawn into them but quickly remembered his place and position and resumed a better posture. She smiled at him waiting for a response, yet he became flustered and embarrassed, and for a moment suddenly had a loss of words. Finally he regained focus on the situation and sternly looked at her.

"Miss Whitbourne," he said swallowing hard. "Yer cookin' is appreciated, but I believe it would be better if ye didn't wander away from m' quarters into other parts of the ship. It ain't really a good place fer a lady and is… uh… distracting… fer the men."

"Alright, Captain Sparrow," she replied calmly though not surprised by his remark, "but I can't stay confined in your quarters for two whole days."

"Then let me show ye around the ship," he compromised. Jewel was happy to agree, and after taking off her apron, she allowed him to slowly escort her around the main deck. When she got to the stern of the ship, she noticed a hole on the door of his quarters. She took a moment to look closely at it and moved a finger along the splintered edge. Jack saw her apparent interest in the mark and decided to tell her what happened.

"That's a reminder of a wager made a few days ago where I almost lost m' gold teeth," he explained. "A young man of my crew threw a knife from up there and twice hit the knot dead on." Jack hit his open palm with the fist of his other hand and pointed to the deck above the galley. As Jewel looked in the direction of the galley, Jack reached over to touch the revered spot himself and sighed at the memory of his young friend.

"From way up there? How exciting!" she enthusiastically said clapping her hands. "Will you teach me how to do that? To throw a knife, I mean." Jack quickly spun around to face her. He was surprised by her request and thought for a moment not quite sure how to answer her.

"Miss Whitbourne, I hardly think that's a proper activity fer a woman such as yerself," he argued. "It takes a lot of skill to throw a knife, and believe me, that boy had it. Besides, I would feel terrible if ye hurt yerself or tore yer lovely dress. Surely ye don't wanna be arrivin' in St. John's wearin' just m' shirt now, would ye?"

"Oh please, Captain Sparrow, just one little, tiny throw?" she pleaded. "Just think of all the nice money you'll be getting from my father for bringing me safely home to my family. Can't you even indulge me in this one small request? I promise you, Captain, I'll be very careful. After all, how hard can it possibly be to hit a target?"

Jack looked at her pleading eyes and not wanting to be disrespectful or impolite, relented with a sigh and took out his knife.

"Alright, one throw, but that's all. Understand? No more after that, and I'll pick the target." He looked around and soon found the perfect target, one that was far enough away from the crew. "Here, under the ship's bell. This barrel." He pointed to the bell and barrel near his cabin door. "Try to hit that and remember, only one try. I'll be hanged if I have the men makin' mock wagers over yer throwin'."

Jack walked her over to the main mast to give her a little distance from the target and handed her the knife. He showed her how to hold it for a throw, and when she was ready she threw it toward the barrel. Suddenly the bell clanged as the knife missed the mark and struck the side of it instead. The startled crew all looked up to see what the danger was. Many started to run toward the center of the main deck to gather around the captain and his guest.

"What's goin on, Cap'n?" asked one of the men as he looked around the ship. Surprised by the reaction of his men, Jack put his hands together and gave them an apologetic smile.

"Sorry there, mates, false alarm. Just wanted to show our guest, you know this kind lady who just fed ye that grand meal and is paying us to take her to St. John's, exactly what we do in case of danger or to sound an emergency. Savvy?"

The men looked at Jewel and grinned, some tipping their hats, others shaking their heads and muttering to themselves as they slowly headed back to their duties. After they had all left, Jack turned sharply to her, but she just innocently shrugged her shoulders.

"Sorry," she said humbly in a very soft voice. "But at least I hit something. Don't you think that was good?" Jack was stunned by her comment and did not respond. "Oh come on, Captain. It wasn't so bad now, was it? After all, I didn't hurt anybody, and I'm sure the next time I'll do better."

"Next time!"

Jewel was about to answer, but when she saw the disapproving expression on his face, she quickly lowered her head and waited for him to speak. His annoyance quickly subsided as he stared at her for she looked so humble just standing there knowing she did wrong and waiting for his reproach. She did hit the bell which was good for her first try, and he had to chuckle at the response of his men. He reached out to take her hands and bending down to catch her attention, spoke sternly but gently to her.

"Knife throwin' is a difficult skill to be sure fer anyone, and if ye don't have the skill, well….it can be dangerous. So, this is why we never ever give a knife to a woman, unless of course she's usin' it to, uh… cut up biscuits or gut fish."

Though Jack tried not to be demeaning, Jewel was nonetheless a little hurt by his remark and raised her head slowly looking him in the eyes. Jack was sure he could see tears forming and suddenly felt terrible for what he had said, but before he could say anything else, she gently withdrew her hands from his and lowered her eyes again.

"I'm very sorry, Captain Sparrow," she said meekly. "You're right, of course. A woman couldn't possibly have the same skills as a man, now could she? But don't worry, sir. I certainly won't be doing that again, nor will I be bothering any of your men either. I'll simply stay in your quarters until we reach Antigua."

Without looking up at him, she abruptly turned and quickly walked back to his cabin leaving him on the deck watching her. As she shut the door behind her, Jack closed his eyes in frustration and turned away to look out over the water. She meant well, he thought, yet he just had to go and say something mean to her. He did not even get the chance to thank her properly for the great meal. He would really have to think of something to make up for this, something to show his gratitude and that he was sorry for offending her. She was after all a paying guest on the ship and should be treated as such.

Jack knew being on a ship was not comfortable for a woman for there were no fine furniture to sit on or a big, comfortable bed to sleep in with nice linen and blankets, no real kitchen with nice plates and such. Truly, a woman's place was in a house, a place she could make a home for her and a family. He smiled at the very thought of seeing her in a real kitchen busy cooking for someone. Jack looked down at his hands and found them rough and callused. He wondered what had he been thinking; for he had held her delicate hands with them and now wished he had not. He looked up again and saw Gibbs walking toward him, and a thought quickly came to his mind. He called out to him and motioned for him to come over.

"Ah, Mr. Gibbs, where can I get a deck of cards?"

"A deck of cards, sir? Well, I believe there's one in the crew's quarters. Do ye want someone to get it for ye?"

"Aye," Jack replied with a thoughtful grin. "And quickly, mind ye!" Gibbs complied and Jack patiently waited while the first mate had one of the crew go down and get the cards. Meanwhile he narrowed his eyes and glanced toward the door of his cabin.

Chapter 7

Jewel leaned against the closed door for a few minutes looking at Jack's quarters with his large table and chairs, a bunk, a small closet, and cabinet with drawers. On each side of the room near the door was an open gunport from which a cannon was positioned ready for battle. The room though not especially fancy was still practical and efficient for a pirate captain's needs. Jewel walked away from the door and over to the open windows to cool off in the soft breeze which blew in with the scent of the salty sea. She had enjoyed cooking for the crew but was actually glad to be back for she needed time alone to focus on her mission. She sensed the moment of her confrontation drawing very near, for if the seeds of information she planted in Gilley's Rock took hold, she could expect to have company any time now.

Jewel laughed to herself thinking about hitting the bell with the knife and Jack's reaction to it. She always hit what she aimed for but could not tell him that or let on that she was more than just a lady. She knew she had to play out the game of charade a little longer, at least until the opportune time presented itself. Still, she felt bad knowing she had annoyed Jack with her knife throwing, but she was just looking for a little fun and diversion. She remembered what he said to her and how it hurt her feelings at the time, but she was past that now. She knew playtime with him was probably over for the time being, but a storm was near approaching that needed her full and undivided attention, a storm she would soon quell with her own indomitable tempest.

She put on Jack's long shirt again to relax in, and after letting her hair hang down and pulled back, she sat on the floor near an open window. Once she was comfortable, Jewel crossed her legs and closed her eyes. She sat that way for a long time in meditation, clearing her mind of things that distracted her, which included Jack and her attraction to him. Focusing on spiritual clarity would take time to achieve, but time was all she had especially with nowhere else to go.

Up on the main deck Jack paced back and forth until the crewmember returned with the deck of cards. Annoyed that it took so long, he snatched the cards from the man's hand with a scowl. The man lowered his head and hurried back to his chores as Jack rolled his eyes and let out a big sigh. He put the cards in his pocket and nonchalantly walked around the ship a few times hoping to give Jewel enough time to calm down after their previous conversation. When he finally walked over to his cabin, he looked around and quietly knocked on the door. When she did not answer, he got concerned and slowly opened it to peek inside the room. To his surprise, he found her sitting on the floor dressed in his long shirt and wearing men's breeches and boots. Though curious as to where she got the breeches and boots, sitting on the floor with her legs crossed and eyes closed surprised him the most. He stared at her and slowly shook his head. The woman was definitely unusual however, she, nevertheless piqued his interest and curiosity.

Jack went in and quietly closed the door. Trying not to disturb her, he tiptoed over to his chair and sat down, all the while watching her in this position. She looked strange sitting on the floor and seemed to be sleeping, but then remembered he had seen Rafe do this too on the island and wondered what it all meant. Though still not sure if he should leave or not, he decided to play a game of cards. If he won he would stay, if he lost he would go. He quietly dealt the cards out and played the game. When he found himself winning, he felt relieved for he would have felt guilty had he resorted to cheating. After a few minutes and just as he finished playing the last card, Jewel finally opened her eyes and saw Jack sitting at the table.

"Captain Sparrow!" she exclaimed, startled by his presence and surprised to see him there especially after what had happened earlier.

"Please don't feel ye have to sleep on the floor, Miss Whitbourne. Ye have permission to use m' bunk." He motioned toward the disheveled blanket and pillow. "Not wanting you to be bored while in m' quarters, I thought we'd play some cards. What d' ye say?"

"I thought you were angry with me," she said softly under her breath and felt awkward and embarrassed just sitting on the floor.

Jack heard her and looked at her apologetically.

"Jack Sparrow doesn't get angry... much," he declared. "He just gets… uh…surprised."

"Alright then, Captain," she said accepting his attempt to apologize. "I'm always happy to learn new things, so let's play cards."

"Good, then why don't ye come sit in a chair? That way you can be more comfortable, and it's much better if we can see what cards are being played, however if you prefer the floor..."

"Thank you, sir, but the chair will do," she replied, and Jack quickly leaned over to pull the chair out for her.

Jewel got up off the floor, but when she remembered how she was dressed she quickly pulled his shirt down as far as it would go, hoping he had not seen the pouch. Jack watched from the corner of his eye as she attempted to adjust her attire and was somewhat amused by her efforts to do so. He looked at her as she sat down and noticed the self-conscious look on her face.

"Say, I believe that shirt looks better on you," he snickered as he continued to shuffle the cards, "but I thought ye told me earlier that ye've never worn any men's clothes before. Do women now wear breeches and boots under their dresses?"

"No, Captain," she nervously laughed and quickly tried to think of an explanation. "I was… uh… too ashamed, yes… too ashamed to tell you that when I lost my bags and was taken to that town, I had no other clothes to wear other than that which was torn and dirty from my previous voyage. Well, you can just imagine how desperate I was for something to wear, so when no one was looking, I...uh...stole these from a man who was drunk and sleeping in the street. Later it was out of pity that the woman I stayed with gave me the dress and hat to wear."

Jewel knew her explanation made little sense but hoped the captain would not notice and press for more details.

"Aye, I can definitely imagine," Jack grinned as he thought about her explanation. "I see ye must have been very desperate indeed, especially to leave a man wearin' only his skivvies," he sympathized. "And lucky for you he didn't wake up and even luckier that he was a small man. Well, now that ye're wearing m' shirt just make sure ye don't try yer luck at stealin' my breeches and boots, especially while I'm still wearin' them." Jewel laughed at the thought.

"Oh, I promise I would never do that to you," she said coyly as she observed him.

Jack looked up at her as he moved the cards skillfully in his hands, parting the deck a few times and shuffling them again. Jewel stared in amazement as the cards flowed effortlessly from one hand to the other and watched as he dealt all the cards.

"How 'bout a simple game of chance?" he asked with a grin. "We each lay down a card, and whoever has the… well... best card takes the two cards." Jack explained the rules of the game and how to play. When she seemed to understand, he turned over one of his cards.

"What do you win?" she asked and turned one of hers over as well.

"Well, usually there's a wager involved," he explained taking both cards as his card beat hers. "So, what you win is usually money or something else of value."

"I'm afraid I've no money to wager with, Captain." They each laid down another card.

"No need for concern, dear lady," he smiled and picked up the two cards again. "We don't wager money aboard ship, and I could never wager against a woman anyway." Jewel gave him a puzzled look, and he quickly explained. "What I mean is I could n'er hornswoggle, uh…I mean cheat a woman, ye see, and therefore would surely lose every time."

"And do you… hornswoggle otherwise, Captain?" Jack chuckled at the question as Jewel picked another card and turned it over. "I mean… when you're not playing against a woman."

Jack paused a moment then leaned over toward her.

"Every chance I get," he answered proudly, also turning over the next card from his deck.

"Well, I can't say I'm surprised," she remarked as she won the two cards. "But you know there's a saying in the good book that reads, 'Wealth gotten by deception shall be diminished, but he that gathereth by labour shall increase'. So what do you think about that?"

Jack pondered over it for a moment then nodded his head in agreement.

"T'would seem to be true, which is probably why I've so little."

"Not true, Captain Sparrow. Look around you, and you'll find that you have almost everything you desire in this world… a ship, a crew, freedom to go where you want. You may not have the best of everything, but you certainly have more than others, and from that you can measure your success."

"Oh, how lucky fer me! And here I thought I needed a big hat and a monkey to be happy and successful." He flashed his dark eyes at her and gave his head a little nod.

Jewel laughed, and Jack was glad he had made her feel better. They continued to play the game, and after a few rounds Jack began to wonder about her. Not able to hold back his curiosity he decided to ask her a question.

"Why then were ye sittin' on the floor?" Jewel looked up from her cards at him.

"It's called meditation. Closing your eyes and resting. It's a way to relax and focus on good things, you know, those things that are most important to a person. Meditation clears the mind and body of stress."

"Much like a good bottle of rum and a romp with a… uh… uh…" Jack suddenly stopped to consider what he was saying and cleared his throat. "I mean… rump. Ye know… rump of meat, and with a… bowl of beans. Uh… yes, beans. I love 'em. Always works fer me." He gave her a weak smile. "So, what things do ye focus on?" he asked quickly to divert her attention.

"Actually, the future. I've seen firsthand the danger that's all around, and we must always be on guard. I was hoping to prepare myself for the unexpected. Evil preys upon the weak and is always attracted to those who are good and noble, which would even include you, Captain."

Jack doubted he was good and noble but thought about the Raven now lurking in the area and the threat it held for all those near it. He worried since more than likely he had put her safety in jeopardy. Hawk would still be looking for him, and now with a rich, young woman aboard, the Black Pearl would surely be at greater risk, especially since other people from Gilley's Rock now knew who she was and where she was going. In a few hours the sun would be setting, and he would have to decide where to anchor for the night. However, until then, he had Miss Whitbourne to entertain. So nodding his head in agreement, Jack proceeded to deal another round of cards. Afterward he looked at her and noticed she had changed her hairstyle.

"Wh-what have ye done with yer hair?"

"I let it down to be more comfortable, especially since I won't be leaving your quarters and distracting your men." Jack gave her a disgruntled look. "Besides," she continued, "hairpins tend to be a nuisance and can be painful if not secured properly."

"Aha," he replied, "That's very interesting. I've not been around women too much, ye know, with bein' on a ship all the time." He then thought to himself, "And I'm definitely not countin' that old crow from last night."

"Really, Captain? I would have certainly thought a… big, strapping man like yourself, clever and mysterious, handsome and brave would have women everywhere."

"I do, without doubt and none denyin'… everywhere," he decided to brag.

"And I'm sure they take pleasure when they see you and cry when you leave."

Jack's eyes widened with surprise at the thought of her compliment.

"Uh, that they do, dear lady." He shyly gave her an awkward grin not sure it proper discussing other women with her, especially those women.

"So it would seem," mused Jewel. "And since we're talking about women, Captain, tell me about hair. You certainly must attract women with it for you have an unusual and intriguing style." Jack sighed knowing she would ask eventually as they always do.

"Not much to say 'bout it. I like it long and hangin' down. Makes me different, and people remember who I am. B'sides it don't need much tendin' to this way."

"Hmmm, and what are the little hanging things, these baubles?"

"These? Really just tokens of things that remind me of places I've been to, people I've met, and things I've done over the years," he answered handling some of the beads with a hint of a roguish smile.

"Can I... touch them, Captain?" she inquired.

Jack hesitated for a moment and furrowed his brow as he looked at her inquisitively. It had been a very long time since a woman had taken more than a casual interest in him, much less his hair, so he decided to let her have her way.

"Aye, you can touch my… baubles and anything else ye wish," he answered with a subtle, playful grin. "But carefully, mind ye."

Jewel got up from the chair and walked over to where Jack was sitting. After going behind him, she placed a hand on his head and carefully handled some of the mementos. She asked him to stand up and turn around so she could look at the beads in his beard. Once he had done so, she handled them carefully then touched the one section of hair that hung down from the top of his head, fascinated by the intricate manner in which the beads and coin were secured.

As Jewel leaned in for a closer look her face came close to his, and he immediately smelled the fragrance of her perfume again. He watched her eyes as she looked at the top of his head then down to the sides of his face. They lit up as she touched each trinket and bauble then looking into his eyes she gently placed her hands on each side of his face. With a puzzled look Jack stood still as Jewel studied his face running her fingers slowly along his dark eyebrows and down his cheek. She paused and watched them move softly over his lips gently brushing against his dark mustache. Finally, she raised her eyes to meet his, and for a long moment he was captured by her gaze. Her face seemed so familiar that he felt drawn to her. Not able to hold back or wanting to, he swallowed deeply and slowly lowered his face toward hers, however sensing his intention she prudently turned to look away. When she moved back from him, Jack quickly straightened up and cleared his throat.

"I… uh… should go now," he said looking downward, confused by his own behavior.

"Captain, I did this," Jewel replied humbly. "You have a very interesting face, and I was just trying to remember it in case I don't ever see you again after tomorrow. I'm afraid I got carried away and put you in an awkward position. Please accept my apology."

Jewel extended her hand, and when Jack held it, he noticed a scar just below her thumb in the shape of the letter 'J'. He thought it strange at first, but assuming it probably had to do with her name, he dismissed the thought. Jewel quickly realized he saw the scar and was grateful he did not ask her about it.

"I must thank you, Captain Sparrow, for making this a pleasant afternoon," she said as she discreetly pulled back her hand. "But I have a small request. Before I leave you I would like to put something in your hair as a memento from me, something to remember me by, a token as you say."

Jack readily agreed with a nod of his head. He was really touched by her desire to give him something and gladly accepted her offer for he definitely wanted to remember her. However, for now he thought it best to leave and go check on the ship. Saying his goodbye, he put his hands together, bowed slightly, and quietly left the room. He stood outside the door for a moment looking around for his first mate and found him on deck helping to hoist up the nets for the evening meal's catch. Fortunately for them, there were many large fish in the nets, which meant yet another fish dinner. Remembering the great meal they had earlier in the day, Gibbs wondered if Jewel would be cooking for them again. When he saw Jack standing near his quarters he decided to ask him.

"Captain," he called out so Jack would hear him. "A moment, sir."

Jack walked over checking on the sails along the way.

"Jack, is Miss Whitbourne cookin' again? The men were kinda wonderin' as was I, and we just wanted to know."

"I think not, Mr. Gibbs, 'twas a real busy afternoon for her with something called meditation, losin' at cards, wearin' m' clothes, inspecting m' hair, and touching my baubles. I do believe she's had enough fer today. I know I have."

"What a shame, sir, and just when the food was startin' to taste good. Guess one can get spoiled by too good a thing," Gibbs said disappointedly. "Say, maybe she can teach ole Gabe how to do a few things before she leaves us. Ye know we sure haven't eaten this good in a long time, a real long time."

Jack nodded his head in agreement and thought back to the meal she earlier prepared. Not wanting to think about that any further, he took Gibbs by the arm and after a quick glance around led him to one side of the ship giving him a serious look.

"Ye know me better'n anyone. I'm an obstinate fool and scoundrel. I spit in the eye of the law and do as I please, when I please. I care neither fer the life of landlubbers or to be tied down, so don't ye be assumin' anything, but I need to be… whacked hard till I get m' senses back."

"Huh?" Gibbs looked at him wondering if he had truly lost his senses. "Aye, Captain, as you wish," he responded and raised his fist in the air.

"Are ye daft? I didn't mean it!" Jack shouted and took a quick step back. He then asked quietly so no one else could hear him. "I mean to ask ye, did you ever have…uh, well, feelin's fer a woman?" Surprised by the question especially knowing Jack as he did, Gibbs looked at him and thought for a long moment, then furrowed his brow as he turned to look out over the water.

"Feelin's fer a woman? Aye, many years ago when I was a young man I took a wife, a lovely girl and also a good cook. It was back when I lived in Portsmouth. She was a good woman, my Ann. We were happy and had many good years together, but she died during the birth of m' son, and just like that she was gone and out of m' life. That changed everything fer me, so not wanting to think of what I'd lost, I went to sea... mostly to forget."

Jack never knew this about his first mate and was now almost sorry he had asked him to recollect such a tragic memory. He presently reached out to put a hand on Gibbs' shoulder in an effort to render his condolence.

"Sorry, mate," he offered. "I can see ye loved her very much. And how about yer son?" Gibbs lowered his eyes and tears welled up in them.

"He died too, and they're buried together," Gibbs answered. He quickly composed himself and looked at Jack who was saddened by this revelation. "But that was a long time ago. Why d' ye ask, Jack?"

"I'm not sure I know," he replied trying to compose himself as well. "Lately I've been feelin' really strange." Gibbs raised an eyebrow at his confession. "Alright, yes…even stranger than most times. I look at m' life, and what do I have? A scampy crew and the Pearl. I suppose that should be enough, but I'm now wonderin' if there should be more."

Jack turned to look out over the water and took a few steps along the side of the ship. Gibbs watched him and wondered where this was all coming from, then realized it must be the effect the woman was having on him. After a few moments Jack turned back to face him.

"Nah, forget what I said!" he exclaimed walking back toward the first mate. "I refuse to make m' life any more complicated than it already is. I'm bound to this ship and to the sea. This is my life, and it's what I've chosen. I prefer the company of my men, that is to say most of the time. Why, I wouldn't even know how to get to sleep at night unless I had the waves rockin' the bloody ship fer me."

"Jack, ye be right, of course, but consider this," Gibbs offered. "Look at these men. Some of them older ones got nothin' else in their life 'cept what ye've given them. They got no home, no family. They made their decision a long time ago. They will n'er have these things now, and fer that they will surely die lonely men. The younger men may still got a chance. But I've been there, and I know the true happiness that comes from lovin' and bein' loved in return. Without it, ye're left with a burning hunger that slowly eats at ye. Truly, ye should n'er dismiss love because ye n'er had it. For 'tis the natural order of things, Jack, and we're all bound to it."

Jack considered everything Gibbs said. All his life he had never been really comfortable telling anyone his feelings as he had learned at an early age not to trust anyone nor be weak and vulnerable, but now he felt a strong bond had developed between him and his first mate.

"Mr. Gibbs, ye're a wise man," Jack responded with respect.

"Not at all, Jack," Gibbs replied as he looked up toward the sky, "but the sun's setting low, so I think I'll go and check with Gabe about food." He was about to leave but paused to ask, "So, Jack, what's a bauble?"

Jack rolled his eyes and pointed to a few in his hair. Gibbs smiled then left to go to the galley, while Jack went to the upper deck and sat down on the top step where he thought about what Gibbs had said. He wondered whether he needed to feel a closeness with someone, why he felt a pain when Rafe left, and why he was feeling it again. All these years he was fine with his life, however in a week's time he meets two people, and suddenly he is an emotional wreck.

"It's just as well that she's leavin'," he quietly said to himself. "I simply can't manage havin' this woman around. But blast it all, I just can't believe I'm about to lose two good cooks in one week, when I've not had a real one for a long time. Sorry, Gabe."

Jack knew tomorrow evening they would arrive in St. John's, and she would be gone. Just thinking about it brought up the same feeling he felt when Rafe left, an empty feeling gnawing at him, a feeling he never wanted to feel again. He was definitely getting soft as the years went by, but things would get better and back to normal once he put all this behind him. Taking a deep breath and with a renewed determination to get back to his own independent and uncommitted self, he stepped down from the stairs and once again strolled around the ship.

Jewel changed back into her dress once again and put her hair up. After making herself presentable, she waited to see if Jack or Mr. Gibbs would let her know when she could come out of her seclusion. Looking for something to do to pass the time away, she found some rolled up maps lying on a top shelf and pulled one down to look at it. Laying it on the table, she examined it closely and immediately recognized it to be a map of the Caribbean Islands. Jewel found the town of St. John's and then Gilley's Rock. There seemed to be some distance from one to the other with several small islands in between, but there was only one large island relatively close by and about midway between the two towns. That had to be the island they were trying to reach by nightfall, she surmised, and it would be the perfect place to anchor for the night. Of course, anyone sailing from Gilley's Rock to Antigua would know that, especially if he was familiar with this area and the islands. She was counting on it, for if the plan she set in motion this morning in Gilley's Rock worked, she would soon be confronting the man who changed her life forever, the one man she was destined to seek out and destroy.

Jewel quickly rolled up the map and put it back on the shelf. She sat down and soon began to feel restless and jumpy, her mind racing from one thought to another in preparation for what she hoped would soon happen. She had set herself up as bait for the Raven, prey to the predator, a worthy ransom. She prayed that this idea would succeed and take her into the lion's den to finally reach her goal and settle the score. She smiled for soon she would come face to face with her sworn enemy. Soon she would come face to face with Joe Hooper.

Jewel closed her eyes thinking back in time. She ran a finger over the scar on her right hand and slowly traced the letter 'J' for the name of 'Joe'. Joe Hooper had put that scar there with his knife some three years earlier. It was his trademark, a 'brand' put on the many women he attacked over the years. He enjoyed cutting them first so they would know in advance what their fate was. They did not have to wait long for he acted quickly and savagely, but they would have to carry the mark of that horror with them for the rest of their lives. Jewel did indeed have the mark of that devil. He and his band of cutthroats from the Raven had anchored near Savannah and sailed up the river in longboats that dreadful night seeking plunder and slaughter, and they found it along the riverbank in the peaceful homes of plantation owners and small farmers.

Julianne and her fiancé, Edward Davenport, were sitting on a porch swing outside her father's home that warm, summer night watching the lights of the town reflect off the flowing water of the Savannah River. Her parents had just left to attend an evening church social in town and were not expected back for a few hours. The servants were clearing the dinner table and preparing for the next day's menu. All was quiet and still, save for the occasional distant cry of a whippoorwill nesting in the tall grass growing along the riverbank and the rhythmic chirping of crickets coming from bushes along the side of the house. Not far from the main gravel drive, candlelight from the workers' quarters flickered as a gentle breeze steadily blew through the open windows then went out all together as the tired occupants settled in for the night.

In the dim light of the porch lantern, Edward was admiring the new knife he had received as a birthday present from Julianne. It was a short blade knife with a black handle designed with inlaid silver. It was very sharp and skillfully crafted for weight and balance, and Edward was extremely pleased and grateful. Julianne had just leaned over to kiss him when she saw from the corner of her eye something moving in the bushes. Edward immediately turned his head when he heard a rustling sound and quickly stood up letting the knife drop in Julianne's lap. A few moments later, three men carrying pistols and daggers burst out from the bushes and jumped him, dragging him off the porch and onto the grass. Julianne screamed just as two more men came rushing out in her direction. Edward yelled for her to run, but before she could get far one of the men knocked her down, and the knife fell in the grass a short distance from where she lay.

They were pirates, vicious and merciless. Soon others came and charged into the house, ransacking it in search of money and other valuables. Servants ran in all directions to hide and protect themselves. While Edward and Julianne were held captive outside, a large burly man parted the bushes and slowly strolled onto the clearing. With cold unfeeling eyes he looked at Edward still held by the three men, then at Julianne on the ground. Taking out a large knife he walked up to Edward, and with one quick motion of his hand Edward soon slumped to the ground dying in a pool of his own blood.

Julianne screamed and watched in horror as the big man turned to look at her with a vile sneer. He walked over to where she was held and roughly grabbing her right hand, sliced into the soft skin with the knife still stained with the blood of her beloved. She let out a piercing scream as blood quickly oozed from the wound. The savagery of the attack made her weak and faint, and when she looked up at him, he ran his tongue slowly across his lips. The man then motioned with a nod of his head for his men to join the others in the house, and Julianne was left on the ground alone with him.

The big man knelt down next to her then moved his body toward her. As she struggled to push him away, he asserted himself more willfully to get closer to her and lowered his head to kiss her. She immediately started to call for help and frantically kicked against him. She managed to turn her face away from his and instantly caught a glimpse of something shining in the moonlight. It was the Edward's knife; the one she had dropped in the grass. Desperately stretching and squirming to move her body away from him and closer to it, she fought with all her strength and finally succeeded in getting a grip on it. Without further thinking, she quickly swung it up and cut deeply down the left side of his face.

The man screamed in pain and quickly rolled away from her allowing her the one chance to escape. Still clutching the knife, she scrambled to her feet and ran into a wooded area away from the house leaving him on the ground cursing and rolling on the grass with his hands covering the bleeding gash on his face. A few minutes later she heard the sound of gunfire and loud shouts as the town's militia arrived in several boats after seeing flames coming from a nearby house and barn. The pirates immediately began to scatter and flee from the property as the militia came up toward the house. Trembling in fear Julianne watched from the bushes as the remaining pirates ran away taking with them the man who tried to assault her. Most of the pirates escaped, but the few who were caught were quickly taken away in irons.

When it was safe to come out from the bushes, Julianne immediately ran over to where Edward lay dead on the ground. Her body shaking, she fell on her knees in utter despair, then put her arms gently around his head and held him close, woefully sobbing and rocking his bloodstained body, her tears choking her as she tried to breathe. With seething anger and heart wrenching pain and anguish, she stared out through red, swollen eyes toward the river and silently vowed she would make that vicious scum and all who were with him pay with their lives for the murder of her beloved Edward. For many long minutes she held his lifeless body pressing her cheek next to his, her tears mixing with his blood and staining her dress, face, and hands.

Dazed and in shock she continued to rock Edward's body and stare blankly into the empty darkness, her lips quivering as her mind fought the reality of his death. People from town soon arrived to offer aid and assistance, but she gripped him tighter and refused to give him up. Despite her cries of protest, they struggled to loosen her arms from around him and finally took his body away. She lay down on the ground sobbing and tearing at the grass while several servants came out of the house to comfort her. After being helped to her feet, she screamed out his name one last time before fainting and falling to the ground.

Chapter 8

A loud, booming sound suddenly snapped Jewel's attention and made her quickly sit up in the chair. As she wiped tears from her eyes and small beads of perspiration from her forehead, she heard again the loud, booming sounds coming from off in the distance. She immediately ran to the door and opened it to see the crew scrambling on deck in all directions. Curious as to what was happening, she cautiously went out and continued to hear the loud booms. She looked for Jack and not readily finding him, went over to the ship's side where most of the crew had now gathered, whispering speculation in the wake of this new situation.

The men were looking out over the horizon where a column of thick smoke rising high in the air was easily visible. They quickly fell silent and focused their attention on the alarming sight. Jewel turned to look for Mr. Gibbs and saw him on the upper deck with Jack who was looking through a scope in the direction of the smoke. She pulled on the arm of a crewmember standing near her and saw a look of fear on his face when he finally turned to look at her.

"What is it, what's going on?" she asked anxiously.

"Maybe eight, but six pounders fer sure. Ye know…cannons!" he replied and turned back to look out over the water. Jewel suddenly felt the confusion she knew the others were feeling. She could only imagine what was happening out there and was fearful for the Black Pearl. Cannons could only mean one thing; ships locked in deadly battle with fire, guns, and swords. She looked again at Jack and wondered if the Raven was out there preying on some unsuspecting ship, and if so, who might the unlucky victims be. Soon Jack lowered the scope and after a brief conversation with Gibbs, turned to face his men who now looked to him for orders.

"Men, arm yerselves and prepare for what may lie ahead!" he called out so all could hear.

As the men hustled to get their weapons from the area that kept them secure, Jewel saw Jack talking to Gibbs and looking at her. After a few moments, she watched as the first mate quickly came down the steps and walked toward her. He had a concerned look on his face but still smiled when he finally came up and addressed her.

"Ma'am, the captain wants ye to remain in his quarters fer now. With the men armed with weapons, things may get dangerous, and he wants to make sure ye're safe. As soon as we know more of what's goin' on I'm sure he'll come to tell ye."

Jewel glanced toward the upper deck again and saw Jack standing with Jonesy as the helmsman turned the wheel in the direction of the smoke. Immediately she could feel the ship leaning as it turned sharply breaking through the waves, and for a moment she lost her balance. She leaned over suddenly to grab the side of the ship and steadied herself with the help of Gibbs who had reached out to grasp her arm.

Remembering the first time he had done this for her as Rafe, she thanked him and gratefully walked with him as he escorted her back to Jack's quarters. After he closed the doors, she ran to look out the back window and felt the cool spray of the sea hit her face as waves crashed against the ship. She stared for some time at the water beneath her, but her thoughts were of Jack and the unforeseen danger that lay ahead of them. She recalled what he told her on the island about the dangers of being on the sea and especially being a pirate. Life was usually short and brutal, and she knew she would soon see firsthand what it meant to live this way.

With Jewel safe in his quarters, Jack could fully concentrate on the situation at hand. He also stared at the water as the ship forged ahead. He had seen this many times before and was not surprised by it. The British patrol ships were more than willing to fire at ships they considered to be hostile, and then again it was only customary for pirates to fire a warning shot across the bow of treasure ships when preparing to board them. Not knowing who was involved he knew they would learn more of the circumstances once they reached the area. He also knew it would not be a pretty sight; not with all the cannon fire they heard.

The crew of the Pearl was now armed and ready for whatever might befall them once they arrived at the location of the smoking ship. After an hour they came within view of some of the wreckage with pieces of wood still floating in the water. Jack looked over the side to inspect the debris. There he saw the remains of a tattered British flag caught on the splintered end of a small section of spar. Being familiar with British ships, he knew them to be of good size, so the opposing ship had to be just as big or bigger to be able to bring her down… a ship much like the Raven. Concerned by what he saw, he looked through his scope farther out to sea and finally saw the ill-fated ship in the distance.

"Mr. Gibbs, let me know when we've come upon 'er. I'll be in m' quarters." He handed the scope to Gibbs and turned to go to his cabin.

"Captain! What's happening?" Jewel asked with alarm when Jack entered the room. With a disturbed look on his face, he ignored her question and went to pull out a map and spread it out on the table.

"Captain Sparrow!"

"Miss Whitbourne, as you can see I'm in the middle of an emergency that needs my full attention, the subject of which need not involve… well… women. Sorry, but I no longer have time for casual conversation, cards or any other frivolous diversion." Jack continued to lean over the map to study it.

"Frivolous diversion?" Jewel paced around the room in a huff. "Just one question. What will you do with the survivors?" Jack looked up from the map.

"It's a British ship. The sea will have to claim them."

"You mean drown? No… please, Captain! You can't mean that! You must do the right thing and rescue them!"

"Sorry. No one gets a free ride."

"Then I'll pay for their passage." Jack chuckled and looked back at his map.

"Pay fer their passage, will ye? I'm not totally convinced I'll be gettin' payment fer yer passage. So, just why d' ye care so much what happens to them?"

Jewel took a few quick steps toward the table and pounded her fist on it. That got Jack's attention, and he abruptly straightened up with a startled look on his face.

"I won't stand by and have you turn your back on those in need," she argued on their behalf. "It is how we treat others, sir, that determine if we are just and decent people or simply… animals with no regard for each other. Think, Captain Sparrow! You will have to answer one day for the choices you make now." Jack narrowed his eyes as he half-heartedly listened to her warning, but when he lowered them she reached out and took his face in her hands, looking into his eyes for understanding. "On whose side do you take allegiance? Are you or are you not a good man?" Jack saw the serious look in her eyes and stepped away from her.

"Good man or not, madam, I take no sides 'cept that which profits me the most. That's how I survive in this world, not by bein' a… good man. Now, I've things to take care of."

Jack pushed past her and left the room rushing to where Gibbs and some of the crew had already gathered by the side of the ship. The severely damaged vessel was already in the throes of sinking while the other had long since left the area. Jack saw several uniformed survivors stranded in the water and quickly ordered his men to bring them aboard the Black Pearl.

"But Captain! They're British soldiers!" Gibbs reminded him. "Ye know… the ones who hang the likes of us." Jack gave him a thoughtful look.

"Tis true enough, but remember ye must first consider each opportunity as a means of securing leverage fer the next, and knowin' we have no said leverage at this time, Mr. Gibbs, 'twould seem reason that we now consider this as that opportunity to acquire some. Savvy?"

Gibbs furrowed his brow a moment with a quizzical look then smiled when he finally understood what Jack meant.

"Aye, then leverage it shall be."

Jack concurred with a nod of his head, and they both watched as the crew diligently obeyed orders to bring aboard the survivors. When all had been located and rescued, Jack ordered the injured to be given proper medical attention. The others sat in a corner of the deck cold and wet waiting for Jack to announce what he intended to do with them. Jack looked them over as Gibbs helped the more wounded get settled then motioned his first mate to the side and away from their hapless guests.

"So, who's in command of the mangy lot o' them, Mr. Gibbs?" he asked as he surveyed the ship and their new passengers.

"He's John Riggs, commander of the Vigilant, or rather what's left of 'er," replied Gibbs. "Heard tell only nine souls survived out of twenty-five on board."

"Hmmph… so much fer bein'… vigilant. They were certainly lucky to have survived at all," he responded thinking how the Black Pearl was also lucky not to have run into the ship that destroyed this one. "Is he injured?"

"A few scrapes and bruises, nothin' serious, but some of his men are burned and a few got gunshot wounds," Gibbs answered looking in the direction of the injured soldiers being tended to by the crew.

"Alright then, bring 'im to me, Mr. Gibbs," Jack ordered as he walked toward his quarters, "We need to know what exactly happened here." He knocked on the door and went inside. Jewel had been at the window trying to see what was happening and immediately came up to him asking more questions.

"Whoa, slow down," he said and gestured for her to calm down. "We don't know much at this point, but I need to use these quarters, so I want ye to locate Mr. Gibbs and see how ye might help out with the wounded men we picked up from the wreckage."

"Oh, thank you Captain. I knew you were a good man." "Yes, well, these… men need attention, so if you wanna be a good woman, Miss Whitbourne, go now and find Mr. Gibbs. He'll need all the help he can get."

Wanting to be helpful, Jewel nodded in agreement and left to search for the first mate. She found him on the deck above the galley tending to the wounded with several of his men. She quickly went up to him and was alarmed to see how badly some of the wounds were.

"Mr. Gibbs," she said touching his arm to get his attention, "The captain says I should help you with the wounded soldiers. What can I do?"

"Thanks, ma'am," Gibbs responded gratefully wiping his brow. "But really we need more bandages. Unfortunately all are used." Jewel looked around then gave him a little smile.

"Not a problem, sir," she replied turning away from him. Quickly lifting up the hem of her dress, she tore off a large part of the soft, cotton underlining and began to tear them even further into long strips.

"A saint, indeed," Gibbs sighed patting her on the shoulder, then left her in order to take the tired British commander to the captain's quarters.

"Enter," Jack said as Gibbs finally knocked on the door, and he and the young officer walked into the room. Gibbs introduced the commander to Jack and left to check on the other men. The commander was a tall, strong man with dark features and dressed in full British uniform with white breeches and stockings, black buckled shoes, and a blue coat. Jack slowly rose from his chair and walked around him. When he finally faced him again, he reached up to straighten out the young officer's hat, and was actually surprised that he managed not to lose it in the attack.

"So ye're Commander John Riggs? D' ye know who I am?" Jack asked as he casually chewed on his dirty fingernails.

"I recognize you, Captain Sparrow," he answered glancing at Jack's hair and trinkets, "I know your reputation, and I know this is the Black Pearl, a pirate ship." He grimaced in disgust as he watched Jack spit small pieces of his nails on the floor near the young officer's boots.

"Hmmm. You are correct, sir," Jack responded and returned to his chair. As he pondered the precarious predicament he now found himself in, he frowned thinking it was one thing to have a woman on board, but now with the British military as well, he was sure he could expect nothing but trouble for his efforts. After all, the idea of pirates, British soldiers, and women aboard the same ship at the same time was ludicrous and unheard of, even more so disastrous at best. Jack rolled his eyes and focused his attention back on the commander. The two men stared at each other for a few moments before John finally spoke up.

"On behalf of my men, I want to thank you for rescuing us," he said stiffly, without emotion and quite to the point.

Jack sat in his chair and propped his feet up on the table. He stared at the commander and considered his formal statement of gratitude.

"Well, Commander," Jack retorted with a smirk, "just so we understand each other, it was curiosity that saved ye today. Curiosity about the smoke and cannon fire. Thought perhaps a Spanish galleon to be the target, and quite frankly, I was hopin' to cash in on any leftovers. But, here you are, on the Black Pearl. Hardly any treasure and certainly not what I was hopin' to bring aboard my ship."

"Oh, I see. Of course. Scavenging off the misfortune of others, Captain?" John asked scornfully with a sharp glare.

"Pirate," Jack said with a rakish grin, shrugging his shoulders with his hands held out.

John grinned as well however with annoyance and offense. He finally shook his head with indignation and quickly looked away to glance around the room. Struggling to keep his composure, he turned to look at Jack again.

"Then why bother to bring us aboard?" he angrily demanded to know. "You obviously have no interest in us or those who live by the law."

Disquieted by the commander's tone, Jack raised his hand a little out in front of him and motioned for him to calm down.

"Tis true, I live by my own law, Commander, but don't be raisin' yer hackles none, for I got m' reasons," he explained, "and I would think that you would show a little respect for the man who fished you and yer men out of a watery grave. Savvy?" After staring at him a moment, Jack continued. "Now then, who scuttled yer ship and left ye as bait fer the sharks?"

Jack put his feet back on the floor and waited patiently for a response. Frustrated to be at the mercy of more pirates, yet unable to do anything about it, John thought of the men he lost and came close to tears yet took in a big breath and remained strong.

"Hawkins."

Jack closed his eyes and nodded his head in acknowledgment. He had already surmised from the wreckage that only a powerful ship could have taken the Vigilant down in such a short time. Not many ships in the area could match the fighting power of the 18-gun Raven.

"And where was he headed before ye engaged him?" Jack inquired while studying the young officer through narrowed eyes.

"He seemed to be headed east, if that accounts for anything," John remarked. "And now, if I may ask a question, what do you propose to do with me and my men?"

Jack stood up, walked to the door, and opened it. He glanced over to the area where the injured British soldiers were being treated. Jewel and several of Jack's men were busy with them, cleaning and patching their wounds, offering water and whatever comfort they could. Jack had taken on these men, and now it was his responsibility to deal with them. As he considered the commander's question, Jewel happened to turn toward him and gave him a sweet smile. It was just what he needed to lighten the burden of his thoughts.

"Captain Sparrow?" John interrupted impatiently.

"I'm headed east as well… to Antigua," Jack finally responded. "I believe there's a British post there, and I'll be more than happy to drop you and yer men off when we arrive."

"Very well then, Captain," John replied. "It's a bit far from where we're normally posted, however under the present circumstances, it will definitely suffice. Still, our Commodore will wonder about our absence when we..."

"Commodore?" Jack suddenly asked, turning quickly around to look at him.

"Of course, Commodore William Hayworth from Port Royal. Do you know him?" John asked, a bit surprised by Jack's interest.

"Hayworth? Nah, never heard of 'im," Jack replied and thought about the previous Commodore, James Norrington, regretfully remembering his last encounters with him. "Probably a good officer, though a bit stuffy, right? You Brits always are, ye know." Then after a pause, "By the way, does the Commodore have 'imself a girl?"

"He has a wife, but speaking of ladies," the commander interjected, "I see you also have one on board this ship. Rather unusual, wouldn't you say? A lady aboard a pirate ship?"

"Unusual or not, I do have a lady on board ship, and that, sir, is really not yer concern," snapped Jack with a sly grin. "What is yer concern, however, is yer men. So now, Commander, I think it's 'bout time you returned to them."

The commander nodded his head and abruptly turned to leave the captain's quarters. As he did, Jack also stepped outside, caught Gibbs' attention, and motioned him to come over. They had much to discuss now that he knew the Raven was in the general area. As he watched Gibbs walk over to him, Jack thought how right his first mate had been. It was bad luck to have a woman on board the ship, and this woman certainly brought the worst kind. Not only was the Black Pearl at risk with the ever-present danger of the Raven, but now he had taken on a British Royal Naval officer and some of his men, injured ones at that. Alas, more stranded souls. As Jack and Gibbs entered the quarters and closed the door behind them, Jack quietly shook his head and wondered whether the day could possibly get any worse.

Commander Riggs walked over to check on his men and tried to bolster their spirits despite their tragic circumstances. He asked Jewel about them and was grateful that she was willing to give him an update on their progress. After he had spent some time with each of them, he saw her washing some of the bloodied bandages and went over to speak with her again. He was immediately attracted by her beauty and her sympathetic and caring nature. He wondered why such a fine, upstanding woman was on a pirate ship with Jack Sparrow and was determined to find out when the time was appropriate. But for now he was happy just to enjoy her company, as it was the only thing that made this whole tragic ordeal bearable.

"Ma'am, we're very grateful for all you've done for us, however, do you think there's a chance we might get a little food?" he politely asked not wanting to overstep any boundaries. "We've had a long harrowing day, and a little nourishment might help the situation."

"I'll be happy to check on that for you, sir, if you wouldn't mind waiting here just a moment," she replied and started to walk away from him. He nodded his head in agreement and as he watched her leave, she suddenly turned back around pausing a moment to look at him.

"My name is Julianne Whitbourne," she said shyly.

"A pleasure indeed, Miss Whitbourne," he responded and smiled as he bowed before her in a courteous gesture. "I'm Commander John Riggs of the British Royal Navy stationed out of Port Royal."

Jack had just opened his door when he saw the commander talking with Jewel. He instinctively felt threatened by the attention the officer afforded her but knew he had no right to interfere with her life and especially not with the acquaintances she made. He tried to ignore it but still felt a slight stab of jealousy over the commander's apparent interest in her.

"Don't be an idiot," Jack mumbled to himself as he walked over to the two of them. "So what if he's young, good looking, and a proper gentleman."

"Oh, Captain, thank goodness you're here," Jewel said taking hold of his arm. "The Commander was just asking about some food for his men."

"Ah yes, food. Well, I'll certainly go and see if the galley is opened for customers," he replied sarcastically and glared at the young officer. "Anything else you need, Commander? How about appetizers or perhaps the wine list."

John chuckled at Jack's response and shook his head, sensing the captain's agitation with him regarding the young woman. He again wondered about their relationship, after all, Sparrow was a wanted pirate and she appeared to be a respectable young woman, definitely not the sort of woman who would associate with the likes of a pirate. As he watched Jack take his leave of them, John became amused by the situation and was more determined than ever not to let it interfere with his newfound friendship with her, especially if it meant annoying the captain.

Jewel was a little surprised and confused by Jack's odd and rude manner, but thought perhaps it was due to the stress he was under now with the British soldiers and this unexpected situation. But since he was gone, she needed to get more information about the Raven, and the commander was the person who could give it to her. She just had to ask him the right way, and that was something she certainly knew how to do. She beckoned him to sit with her on the steps to the quarterdeck, and he gladly accepted her invitation.

"May I call you John?" she asked.

John was pleased and readily answered her.

"Yes, of course, Miss Whitbourne."

"Please, it's Julianne."

"As you wish, Julianne."

John tipped his head in acknowledgement and impressed by his manners, Jewel smiled back at him. It had been some time since anyone called her Julianne, the last person being her uncle in India before she left him. She was glad too since the name 'Jewel' was a name she preferred to share only with Jack and his crew. Still, John seemed like a fine man, rather handsome in his uniform and gracious with a warm, kind demeanor in spite of everything.

"John, I was terrified earlier when we heard the loud cannons and saw smoke in the distance," she began in a concerned voice. "Later I saw you and your men in the water with your ship sinking. Who could have done this terrible thing to you and your ship and then leave you to die in the water?"

John was reluctant to discuss the matter and hesitated for fear of upsetting her with such appalling details. While she waited for an answer, he gazed into her green eyes. He was still weary from his encounter with the Raven, and sensing his anxiety she gently took his hand. He felt her soft fingers gently massage the palm of his hand until the sudden feeling and sensation of peace and relaxation came over him. After a few moments, he began to see swirling little flickers of light in her eyes, and as he continued to look at them he could not resist the strong compulsion to answer her question.

"It was the pirate ship, Raven," he explained. "We followed it for a few hours then it turned and fired on us. We tried to fight them, but we never really had a chance."

Jewel continued to massage his hand, but focused her thoughts on the knowledge she had learned. Hawk and Hooper were actually in the area just as she thought. This was most convenient for her, however she had certainly not anticipated the Raven destroying other ships for it could just as easily have been the Pearl that found the Raven instead of the Vigilant. She hoped the Raven was looking for her out in these waters. Why else would they be so far away from the other islands especially since Antigua was in the easternmost part of the Caribbean?

"Did you happen to see the Raven's captain and his first mate during the battle?" she again ventured to ask.

"I saw them both," he replied. "They were just calmly standing on deck watching as their men fired on us with their pistols and cannons. They had no need to board our ship, just sink it. Oh yes, they were there. Smiling triumphantly as our ship went down."

"I'm sorry, John. Sorry for you and your men," Jewel said sadly. "Someday soon they'll all get their punishment. That I can promise you."

Jewel let go of his hand and turned to look out over the water. Just then Jack returned from the galley with news that food was now being prepared for everyone. She was happy to see him and asked to speak with him privately. As they walked a short distance to the ship's side, she stopped to look at him. He tried to appear calm and not slighted by her cordial behavior with the commander, but she could sense apprehension and concern in his behavior.

"Captain, can you now tell me what's going on here?" she asked.

"We're still on course for St. John's," he replied without going into more detail. "Our new friends will also disembark once we arrive. So until then, Miss Whitbourne, we'll just have to make room for everyone."

"Of course, Captain," she said nodding her head in agreement. "Have you any concerns that we might also come under attack?"

Jack looked at her then turned away. He did have concerns, yet he would have no choice but to handle an attack if it came to that. Unfortunately, there were many more lives to consider now, especially hers, and the British were certainly in no condition to offer support should an attack take place. With Hawk and his men in the area, he wondered if he should have agreed to take Jewel to Antigua. The risk had become too great, for Hawk was after him and anyone who stood with him including her.

"There's always that possibility," he finally answered, "But I'll deal with it if and when that occurs, just like anything else that happens on the sea." Then with a serious look, "I'll do everything I can to protect ye, and I promise to return ye to your family."

"I wasn't concerned for myself. I... just don't want any harm to come to you or your crew on my account."

"On yer account?" he asked smiling confidently. "Believe me, Miss Whitbourne. Nothing that happens to us will be because of you. I have everything under control, and we'll be fine. But fer now I would ask that ye return to my quarters." He looked at the afternoon sky. "I'll bring ye some food shortly. I… uh, also wanna thank ye fer helpin' out and all." He looked down at her torn dress. "Looks like ye just may end up wearing m' shirt with yer boots and breeches after all."

"I was glad to help," she replied and went to his quarters as requested. As she opened the door to go in, she turned to glance back at him and smiled. Jack returned the gesture and watched her close the door behind her, but his mood quickly changed to one of irritability as he thought about the young commander. With a huff he swaggered directly over to speak with him.

"I'll have food brought to you and yer men soon," Jack said noting that John was focusing his attention on the door to his quarters.

"Thank you, Captain. Again, we're grateful for your hospitality and for the care we've received," John replied. Lastly, with great interest and a slight grin he asked, "Will Julianne be coming back out this evening?"

"Julianne? Ye must mean Miss Whitbourne, who by the way is my guest, Commander," explained Jack, "and being such, I'm most inclined to protect her from anything or anyone I feel isn't in her best interest."

"Are you sure, Captain, you don't mean… your best interest?" the commander asked tauntingly.

"She's not fer you!" Jack insisted narrowing his eyes, "And I would ask ye to stay away from her while ye're on my ship."

"Sorry, Captain Sparrow, I seemed to have ruffled your... feathers," John sneered and haughtily turned to walk toward his men to await their meal. Jack grumbled to himself as he went to the galley to get their food.

"I seemed to have ruffled your feathers," Jack said to himself as he sarcastically imitated the commander. "Thinks he's ruffled my feathers, does he? Ha! He ain't seen nothin' yet. We'll see whose feathers get ruffled after I'm finished with the ol' buzzard."

He found Gabe preparing bowls of food for the crew and the British soldiers and asked which one was for the commander. Gabe pointed it out, and Jack said he would take the food to John himself. He waited for Gabe to gather a few of the other bowls and take them out, then quickly poured more salt on the commander's food and took it up to him. As he handed the bowl to John, he snickered and quickly left hoping the commander would soon choke on it. He hurried back to the galley again and waited at the door listening. Moments later he heard the sound of gagging and a desperate cry for water. Totally delighted with the situation, Jack laughed to himself and went in to get his own bowl and one for Jewel. He triumphantly stepped out onto the main deck purposely avoiding John's glaring eyes and promptly walked over to the door of his quarters and knocked on it with his elbow.

Jewel had been sitting patiently waiting for him to bring her something to eat. It had really been an exhausting day with all the unexpected activity on board the ship with the British soldiers, and it pained her knowing this all happened probably because of her, even though Jack told her this happens quite often. He told her there were elements of good and bad no matter where you went, and whoever just happened to be the strongest or luckiest sailed away as the victor. Still it angered her thinking about Hawk and Joe Hooper, especially what they did to the Vigilant and her crew and could still do to the Black Pearl.

When she heard the knock on the door, she ran to open it. Jack stood there with two bowls of food. He took them over to the table and after setting them down, looked at her and saw the worry in her eyes. Hoping to alleviate the situation, he motioned for her to have a seat. She nodded in agreement and sat down at the table across from him.

"Thank you, Captain," she said as she stared at the food in front of her. Although she had lost most of her appetite, she knew her body would need the nourishment for later. Jack sat quietly across from her and watched her slowly eat.

"I'll warrant, tis not the same as yer cookin'," he commented as he proceeded to take some bites from his own bowl. He soon stuck out his tongue and shook his head, which served to bring a smile to her face. She appreciated his efforts to make her comfortable despite all that was going on around them and especially his abrupt behavior with her earlier.

"I'm pleased you liked my cooking," she responded gratefully. "A shame I'll not be able to really cook you one of my special meals."

Jack swallowed his food thinking how much he would have enjoyed that. He could not even remember the last time a woman cooked a meal just for him since he became a pirate. Just another one of the many, simple little pleasures he'd never had the chance to experience in his adult life, he thought to himself with a slight twinge of regret. Yet he knew those little pleasures tended to be reserved for men who lived their life on land, not on the sea. He took another slow bite and soon his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her voice.

"Oh Captain, may I call you Jack?"

"Aye," he responded almost automatically.

"It's a good name… Jack. A good, short, manly name, I'd say, and a good name for a pirate." She paused to get his response and chuckled when he raised an eyebrow. "Are you named for your father?" she further asked.

"Don't know. Never knew my father," he lied giving her the same made up story he grew to live by and thought back to the last time he actually saw the old man, a pirate in his own right. "Don't think m' mother did either. As it were, she ran off with a man when I was five. Lived with m' grandmother till she died. I was twelve. Been on my own since then."

Not sure whether to believe him or not, Jewel still felt sorry for him. It was no wonder he never developed any real relationship with a woman. He really had no one to teach him how. In her attempt to look on the positive side, she walked over to him.

"Like I said before, you turned out to be a good man, Jack Sparrow, in spite of your past. And you proved it today by helping these poor, desperate men, all the while knowing they were your enemy and that under normal circumstances would certainly try to capture or kill you."

Jack nodded his head with humble appreciation. He had been called a good man before only to regret it, for too often it resulted with the feel of death's grip tightening around him and on one occasion succumbing to its embrace. As he walked toward the door she gently touched his arm, and he turned to look at her.

"I don't wish to impose on anyone, but do you suppose when the other men go to sleep, I can walk around the main deck?" she asked. "I would really love to get some fresh air."

He agreed and told her he would come back for her later as he first needed to make sure the ship was secure for the night and all was in order. She nodded in gratitude as he opened the door to leave. Suddenly she noticed the beautiful sunset off the starboard side of the ship and taking him quickly by the arm, stepped outside the room with him.

"Look Jack!" Jewel exclaimed. "Let your eyes feast on the ever changing beauty of nature!" Then with a hint of sadness, "For you and I will never see this same moment again."

Jack stared at the sunset as glorious shades of pink and orange lit up the western sky and reflected off the water like glistening wisps of pink silk. He had seen countless sunsets in the Caribbean yet had paid little attention to them before. He turned to look at her as she stood mesmerized by the sight, her face glowing with the vibrant colors of the sky. Together they watched the sun set below the horizon, and when he looked at her again, he noticed the glistening of tears in her eyes as she gazed at the last glimmer of sunlight slipping away into a pale shade of early darkness. He had never known anyone so touched by the sight of a sunset.

Smiling, Jewel lowered her head to wipe her eyes before looking up at him. She was grateful he had shared that moment with her for she did not know if she would ever see a sunset again. It made her realize that her all encompassing determination to avenge the death of Edward had consumed her to where she no longer cared about her own life, nor considered even the slightest possibility that there could be happiness beyond the vengeance and retribution. She felt vulnerable as pent up emotions threatened to expose her weaker, feminine side. She had told Jack earlier as Rafe that he would meet someone, and she would be the one for she felt he needed her, but in truth, it was she who needed him, especially now. She needed his strength, his compulsive nature to confront life and danger head on, and his natural instincts for survival.

Jewel finally looked at his face, which smiled back at her. She knew that however long she was destined to live, she would always remember him; his hair with its beads and trinkets, the gold teeth, his funny mannerisms, and the feel of his arms. Yet mostly she would remember his dark eyes, full of mystery, cunning, and mischievous, masculine allure.

"Thank you, Jack…" she whispered and slowly walked back into his quarters. As she closed the door behind her, she leaned back against it with teary eyes. "... for all that you are."

Later in the evening with the ship anchored, the men finished their work and started to wander down to the lower deck. Several lanterns were lit as Jack watched them all leave and within minutes, he strolled over to talk to Gibbs.

"It's a fine, soft night, Jack," noted the first mate. "We're anchored, and nets have been set. With a gentle breeze blowing in from the southwest, we should arrive in St. John's by end of day tomorrow. I checked the wounded, and thanks to Miss Whitbourne, all have fresh bandages. But I tell ye true, by the time we get to St. John's, she may not have much of a dress left on her."

"Hmmm, tis a sight I'm willin' to risk capture for," Jack replied and smacked Gibbs on the arm. He grinned as his imagination got the better of him, but the mention of St. John's quickly brought to mind another matter of grave concern. He was mindful of the British ships protecting the main town and certainly did not want to put the Black Pearl at risk once they got within a short distance from it. "But at least with Riggs and his men on board as our leverage we should be able to sail right into port. After all, they wouldn't fire on their own men, would they? What d' ye think?"

"Hopefully you be right, Jack," Gibbs agreed. "But we still need to be careful. Not sure I trust them Brits to be appreciative of our efforts. And there be too many mates swinging from ropes these days as it is."

"Aye, and I don't intend fer us to take that short drop either," Jack remarked glancing back over to the door of his quarters. "Well, Mr. Gibbs, g' night, get some sleep. I'll be down shortly." Jack motioned toward the lower deck beckoning him to take his leave. "We'll have an early start in the mornin'."

Once Gibbs was gone, Jack looked around to make sure he was alone with the exception of the night guard and the British, who were still located at the bow of the ship. Presently he strolled over to the door of his cabin and glanced around one last time. Jewel had been waiting for him and was glad when he finally knocked on the door. She opened it and quietly stepped out, happy to be out of his quarters and into the fresh air again. They were alone on that part of the dimly lit deck of the ship and went to the side to look out over the water.

"The water is so calm." She listened to the waves gently lap against the hull. "How are the wounded men doing tonight?" she asked when she heard low whisper-like talking coming from them. "I see Commander Riggs is still tending to them. He seems like a good, caring man, Jack." Jack glanced over to the front of the ship and reluctantly nodded his head.

"I reckon if ye fancy that kinda thing," he replied in a disparaging voice.

"Come on, Jack," Jewel quietly laughed. "You're the same way with your men, and you know it. And yes, I do… fancy that kind of thing."

Jewel felt the breeze on her face and spun around with her arms out. Jack watched her and made himself ready to catch her if she lost her balance.

"Oh, the fresh air smells so good," she exclaimed softly not wanting the other men to hear her. "And just look at the moon rising up over the horizon. Have you ever really thought how beautiful the world is?"

Jack had to admit that he had not really thought about it. Living at sea was harsh at times especially in these waters, but he had gotten accustomed to it. Many times he had been caught up in nature's fury, but then again the sea could be so calm and beautiful as it was that night.

"N'er really thought about it much, I reckon, but I would wager nature is much like people," he answered. "We all go through cycles of some sort…ye know, warm, cold, anger, calm, living… dying. We all belong to Him who created everything."

Jewel was surprised by his response and impressed by his insight. He was so different from other men she knew and standing in the soft glow of the lanterns with him made her feel very secure and close to him. She had always believed she would never have feelings again for another man after losing Edward, but Jack was somehow special, and she wondered if she would ever see him again after tomorrow. In her heart, she hoped that she would.

"So, what future awaits thee in St. John's, fair damsel?" Jack asked casually as he gazed at her face, so lovely in the soft glow of the ship's lights with her hair hanging down around her shoulders. "Marriage, I shouldn't doubt." They heard some more, low talking from the soldiers and turned to look at them. When their talking subsided, she responded to his question.

"Hopefully I'll live on the plantation, spending my days helping to manage the affairs of the household, I suppose. I've been gone a while, but I believe we still have servants that cook and clean. I'll probably do some of that as well. I do love to cook, you know, and take care of the house." She paused for a few moments then continued. "It'll be so nice to be back home with my parents. I've missed them terribly. But after that, who knows. Probably meet someone, settle down and get married, as you said, and then have a family. After all, that is nature's way."

"Hmm… you would do well to do just that," Jack responded with a grin. "In fact, that's a good plan fer a woman such as yerself, and probably any woman fer that matter. And I promise I'll do everything I can to get you to Antigua safely so you can begin to put that plan in action."

"And you, Jack?" Jewel quietly asked. "Where will you go from here? Off on another grand adventure, I expect. Perhaps to visit those faraway places again with their exotic women."

Jack laughed at her remark and took a moment to consider his answer.

"Don't know fer sure," he said shrugging his shoulders and looking out over the water. "I'll let m' compass determine that, though not getting tangled up with the British Royal Navy in St. John's is on top of m' list, then try not to run into Hawk. Ye know, we n'er know what lies ahead. Some times are good and, well, some are not. However, yer life would seem to be pretty well set and rather predictable. Mine's definitely not, and like we talked about earlier, there be danger not knowin' always where the fair wind'll take us and what awaits us once we get there."

"Danger, indeed!" came a deep voice from the shadows.

Jack quickly turned around and saw several darkly clothed men come toward them with knives and axes in their hands. One quickly grabbed Jewel and put a hand over her mouth. She could have easily broken his hold but did not want to even slightly jeopardize the moment. She remained calm and watched while two other men went up to Jack and soon had him struggling in their tight grasp, watching helplessly as several others came forth from the shadows to surround the two held captives. He looked at each one and quickly recognized a few of their familiar faces as men from the Raven. So much for not running into Hawk and his men, he helplessly thought.

"Why, Jack Sparrow! Didn't we just drown ye the other day?" laughed one of the men. Jack stared at him and mockingly returned the laugh.

"Well, apparently not, Mr. McCready. After all, ye know me, mates. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow," he replied with a sarcastic smirk.

"The soon to be late Captain Jack Sparrow, ye mean," McCready retorted and spat down at the floor between Jack's boots.

While Jack narrowed his eyes and sneered at him, the other men laughed and jeered. Jack continued to struggle, and soon the loud commotion brought Gibbs and the others up to the main deck as well as Commander Riggs from the front of the ship. They were just in time to see Big Joe Hooper step out from where he was hiding in the shadows and walk over to Jack and Jewel. Standing in the light of the moon and a few lit lanterns, he towered over the other men, and his ominous presence sent a chill through those who knew him, even by reputation. He happened to glance toward Jewel with a leer, and then she saw it, the scar that ran down the left side of his cheek; the one she had given him three years ago. For the second time in as many days, he stood within a few feet of her, still malevolent, still sadistic and evil, and she cringed at the memory of his hands on her. Hearing the crew of the Black Pearl arrive on deck, Joe quickly turned his attention to Jack and pulled out his knife, placing its sharp edge against this throat.

"You, men of the Pearl!" Joe shouted and pulled Jack to the side of the ship. "Stand down now or yer captain'll taste m' blade, and ye'll be swabbin' yer decks with 'is blood!" He then whispered to Jack, "and this time, no one'll be savin' ye." Finally, he turned to the commander. "You too, soldier boy! Now drop all weapons!"

Gibbs immediately motioned for his men to comply and after several knives and pistols fell to the deck, he alone stepped forward to face Big Joe.

"Hold up, Mr. Gibbs!" yelled Jack not wanting anyone to get hurt. Gibbs stopped, and while still holding Jack under his blade, Joe turned to look at Jewel. His eyes wandered over her body as he ran his tongue across his lips. Jewel slowly turned her hand to conceal the scar.

"Good evenin', miss. I do believe ye're on the wrong ship," he said with a big smirk.

He did not recognize her after these many years, but her memory of him would never be forgotten, and despite the nervous pounding of her heart, she glared at him and patiently waited. Seeing his knife at the captain's throat made her think of Edward, and her blood ran cold thinking that Joe might actually kill him in front of everyone just for the fun of it. Jack saw the anxious look in her eyes and turned Joe's attention to himself and the knife at his throat.

"Bold move t' be comin' on m' ship, Hooper. What d' ye want this time?" Jack asked.

"Everything, if I had m' way," he quickly replied as he ran the blade of his knife gently cross Jack's throat in a teasing manner. "First, we're takin' the woman. We'll hold her fer ransom and wait fer payment from her family. Once we're paid and we've... uh… enjoyed her company, we just may let her go. Now, does that answer yer question?"

Jewel listened to him with disgust, and although she was prepared for this dreaded encounter, she still felt intimidated by the evilness within him. She felt her spirit gather strength however and hoped she would not have to take action here on the ship with Jack and the crew at risk. She wanted to be alone with Hooper and the others when she finally confronted them, but if Joe tried to kill Jack or anyone else, she would do whatever was necessary, plan or not. Jack had also listened to him and quickly thought to make him a compromise.

"Hmm... I'm just wonderin' though. How do ye propose to get word back to her family about the ransom?" Jack asked looking at the big man with a grin. "Ye know, ye can't simply sail into the port of St. John's with all them Brits around and knock on their door, now can ye?" When Joe did not respond, Jack continued. "So, hear me out, mate. You take the woman and let me and m' ship sail on to Antigua, where we tell her family about the ransom. We then sail back with the money, and you let her go. But without… harm! Remember, without harm. That way, ye'll have the money, and her parents will have her, and all will be happy. Savvy?"

"Have you bring back the money? Nay, I got me a better idea… mate," Joe responded with a sneer. "I take the woman and hold you hostage as well, while yer ship sails to Antigua to get the ransom. That way if yer men fail to return, you and the woman die. Savvy?"

Jack looked at him with a raised eyebrow and grimaced at the very thought of Joe's better idea, but having really strategized to be taken hostage anyway, Jack pretended to be disappointed and agreed. Jewel was surprised at the turn of events and worried now that Jack was putting himself in danger again.

"No, let her go, Hooper!" John suddenly demanded as he bravely stepped forward.

Joe motioned to one of his men who quickly walked over to the commander and punched him hard a few times in the stomach knocking him to the ground. Shocked and angry Jewel called out to him, but he could not hear her for the pain he was feeling. With his eyes closed, he lay still on the deck holding his stomach and groaning in silence. Jewel wanted to help him but felt the grip around her arm tighten when she took a step toward him.

"Anyone else wanna be a hero and rescue the lady?" Joe called out for all to hear then turned to face Gibbs with a scowl. "Speakin' of heroes, where's the young welp who was with ye the last time? I got something real special fer him." He raised up his hand and made a fist.

"He stayed behind in Gilley's Rock... to our regret."

"Too bad. I kinda liked him. He seemed like a worthy opponent and the only one of ye deserving of m' time and interest." Joe cast a disdainful look at Gibbs and his men. "Well, mate, ye going to Antigua or what?"

Gibbs was still getting over the shock of this assault and worried for the safety of the Captain and Jewel as well as themselves, for there was no certain guarantee that Hawk would release either of them once the ransom was paid. Furthermore, he and the ship were also in danger of capture once they arrived in Antigua, and there was the question of how to convince Jewel's father that she was really kidnapped.

"I'll need something to take to 'er father. Something that'll convince 'im that this ain' no ruse." said Gibbs. Joe turned to Jewel with an insidious smile.

"Well, dearie, what've ye got that your father'll recognize?" he demanded. Jewel thought for a moment then remembered something from her past when she was a little girl.

"I've nothing on me to give him, but I'll tell you something only he will know," she said and motioned for Gibbs to come closer.

"Now Mr. Gibbs, you must tell my father this and be very precise. When I was nine years old, I accidentally broke a beautiful teacup that belonged to my mother's fine dinnerware. I cried and cried over it knowing how dear it was to her. My father saw me, and I confessed to what I had done. He held me in his arms and told me not to worry. It would be our little secret, and he would take care of everything. The cup was white with small red roses on it, and it was part of a wedding gift she received from her uncle in Dorchester, England when she married my father." Jewel paused then looking at him earnestly said, "What do you think, Mr. Gibbs? I know it's a lot, but can you possibly remember all that?"

"Aye, miss," he responded and glanced at Jack, who nodded his head in agreement and gave him a wink. Narrowing his eyes Gibbs gave him a puzzled look knowing he was up to something then reluctantly accepted the task.

"Well, mates… time to go now," ordered Big Joe as he motioned his men to take the captives with them. "And him, too," he added pointing at John. "He just might come in handy, in case any of them British dogs come lookin' fer us. If not, then I reckon we'll just have a little fun with him. Now you, Gibbs, take this ransom note to her father, and be sure he gets it!"

"Wait! Hold up! Where will ye be when we return with the money?" Gibbs inquired as he helplessly watched the hostages being pulled over the side of the ship.

"We'll be here, near this island," Joe answered and walked to the ship's side to join the others. "We know the area, so we'll be watching fer yer ship. Mark me well, Gibbs, and make no mistake! Ye have two days to return. On the third day, things will start to get… say… rather entertaining. Understand, mate?"

"Aye," replied Gibbs frustrated over this new predicament and not being able to do anything about it.

Joe waited until his men and the hostages were seated in the boats, then with an evil grin and a final salute, he swung his legs over the side and quickly climbed down into one of the small boats waiting to return to the Raven. Gibbs and the other men ran to the side of the ship and watched as the boats sailed out into the darkness with their captives. After they were gone Gibbs stepped back to gather his thoughts. This was the second time in a few days that Jack was forced to leave the Black Pearl and be a captive on the Raven. Even the last time Rafe also ended up missing, but at least he was able to defend himself and rescue Jack. However unfortunately he was gone and now with the girl and even the commander, it would be a big miracle if Jack or the others survived this.

"Men, gather 'round!" Gibbs called out to his hapless crew and waited while they quickly formed a circle around him whereby he could give them some much needed reassurance. "Don't worry, we'll get our captain back again just like before and save the others as well. We'll weigh anchor and sail all night to reach Antigua by first light. That'll save us time, so get some sleep. Ye'll be awakened when yer turn comes to man the sails and helm. You men on first watch," Gibbs pointed to several men. "Stay alert and pray fer wind. A lot of it."

The men obeyed and after raising anchor, the Pearl set sail for Antigua leaving only those on deck who had first watch. Deep in thought and looking out over the dark water, Gibbs pondered over this new predicament. Hawk would not be quite so careless this time to let Jack slip away from him a second time. The Raven was a floating fortress, too much for a single ship to overtake. He let out a deep sigh for he truly feared for Jack's life and said a silent prayer for his friend. However, if anyone had the guile and guts to get himself and the others free, it would be Jack Sparrow. He did it with Barbossa and Davy Jones, and he just might do it again with Hawk. With another deep sigh, Gibbs returned to his bunk and tried to get some needed rest.

Chapter 9

Two small boats moved along the coastline in darkness with only the moon and stars to light their way. While the men rowed quickly around a stretch of land that hid the Raven during the raid, Jack occasionally searched out the other boat for a quick glimpse of Jewel and the commander. Finally faint lights from the Raven were visible, and the men guided their boats to its side where the captives were taken aboard. With their hands bound, Jack and John were led to Hawk's quarters, where after a push and a shove they found themselves facing the notorious captain. Following close behind, Jewel was escorted by two of Hawk's other men.

"Well, evenin' Jack. I've heard many times ye're a hard man to kill," Hawk said with a menacing smirk, "and 'twould seem to be true for here ye are, once again at my mercy." Jack gave him a little grin and shrug hoping he would be amicable enough to consider a negotiation.

"Aye, but I'm sure we can work something out between us," Jack quickly responded. "After all, Captain, ye're the best of all of us in these waters. Have been and always will. Yer ship, the Raven, is the biggest and grandest around. Why, just look at these marvelous quarters!" Jack stopped to look around then continued. "Such fine furnishings with all the trappin's. Teak siding on the walls and closets full of fine clothes, I'm sure. Even a wash table with fancy soaps and look! An unbroken mirror. Oh yes, Captain, ye're by far a wealthy man and so very forgiving and wise. Especially wise. Just think a moment and consider this! Why not let me repay m' debt to ye. We'll put this matter behind us and sorta… start over. What say ye then, Hawk?" Jack flashed him a grin. "Agreed?" Hawk stared at his nemesis and finally had to chuckle to himself.

"Ye never change, Jack, never," he remarked. "But honestly, I can't help but like ye. And tis true, ye may not be hard and ruthless as m' men, not the kind to hack and run a man through to the bones, but ye sure can parley a person to death. Ye can, as true is true, charm the virtue from a woman and cheat a man of his brew."

Jack smiled at that thought and nodded his head in agreement. Jewel watched him and was proud of his efforts to alleviate the situation and try not to get himself killed. While Hawk and Jack bantered back and forth about various things, John stood quietly by the side held by two of Hawk's men. Not bound by rope nor held by guards, Jewel casually took the opportunity to look around the room hoping to find something she might use in case she needed a weapon. She found no weapons in open view but was in awe of the richness Hawk displayed in his design and stately décor. She heard what he said to Jack and knew he was right. Jack was branded a pirate and actually relished the title, but he lacked the killer instinct these men had. He was indeed cunning and crafty, a rogue, a clever cheat and a daring thief, but not a cold-blooded, murdering cutthroat. Jack was who he was, and she began to appreciate him more as a man. When the two finished their conversation, Hawk went to the door, and two pirates came in to take Jack and John away to the lower deck.

"Wait! Where are you taking them?" she asked concerned for their safety.

"To the brig, young missy," Hawk replied. "But don't ye be worryin' none 'bout them. They'll be quite comfortable there."

"Why are we here? What do you want with us?" she asked angrily taking a few bold steps toward her friends as they were lead away. "I want to hear it from you!"

Jack grimaced at her daring efforts knowing Hawk cared little for verbal confrontations and gave her one last pleading glance and a quick shake of his head before the door was closed leaving her and Hawk alone in the room together. Jewel ran to the door and pounded on it then quickly turned around to glare at the captain. He waited for her to calm down intrigued by her fervor. When he thought she was ready, he responded to her questions.

"Actually, my dear, the three of you present me with several lucrative and worthwhile opportunities. You, of course, should bring us quite a tidy sum of money for yer return, so until that happens, ye're t' stay in m' quarters as my guest for I'm sure ye'll be amusin' company, and I wouldn't want ye to wander into the hands of m' crew. As fer Jack Sparrow, well, let's just say we have some business to take care of together. As for the Brit, I've not yet decided. We just may need him t' help us return to safer waters. But after that, we'll just have t' see. I don't care fer the lot of them m'self and would rather just use him fer some kinda sport… something amusing… and painful."

"Oh please, Captain, don't hurt either of them!" Jewel pleaded. "I'll pay whatever you want. Keep me but let them go! Please, Captain!"

"Ye'll pay whatever I want? Generous offer, but what I want, dear lady, is fer you to sit down and refrain from yer whimpering babble of self-sacrifice."

Hawk walked over to his table and sat down behind it. He studied her through narrow eyes and motioned for her to sit down in the chair across from him. Jewel complied and lowered her eyes to concentrate on her hands as they lay in her lap. She could sense him staring at her, but she was determined not to give him the satisfaction of thinking she was afraid. When she finally raised her eyes to look at him, she found him leering at her with a sardonic smile.

"As rude as you are, sir, I don't fear you," she declared confidently. She waited for his response, but when none came, she further remarked, "I know all about you. I know exactly who you are and what you do. You and your men destroy people's lives, but mark my word! You're about to lose everything. A fiery storm comes for you, and you'll never… stop the wind!"

Hawk continued to stare at her, pondering her brash statement then suddenly stood up and slowly walked around behind her gently placing his hands on each side of her head. Baffled by his behavior, she remained still and wondered what he was doing. A moment later she felt his fingers wander softly from the top of her head down to her cheeks, then back to her ears and down each side of her neck. The feathery touch of his fingers on her skin stirred her blood and caused her to shiver, but not wanting to feel even slightly aroused by his touch, she slowly stood up and turned to face him.

His eyes were cold, his face stern and without expression. He carefully moved the chair to the side and looked into her eyes. They sparkled in the light of the candles and seemed to beckon him to draw nearer. As he did so, he quickly reached out to grab her by the shoulders and kissed her roughly on the lips. Startled and repulsed by his sudden behavior, Jewel recoiled from his arms and gave him a hard slap across the mouth and cheek. Hawk fell back a few steps from the blow and rubbed his face.

"Who gave you permission to kiss me?" she asked harshly.

"Ye certainly have a lot of power fer a woman, I'll give ye that," he replied still smarting from the sting of her slap. "And as fer permission… I don't need permission to do what I want, especially on my ship, and you, my dear, just so happen t' be on… my ship." Jewel composed herself and lowered her eyes as he further remarked. "But just this once… and only fer you, I'll make an exception."

"Fine, just don't ever touch me again!"

Not sure what to make of her, but realizing she was no ordinary woman, Hawk walked back to his chair and sat down observing her every move. While she paced angrily across the room like a caged animal ready to unleash her contempt on him, he calmly regarded her with awe and respect. Women, as well as men, feared him when in his presence and rightfully so, for he had the power to dictate life or death, but not her. He actually enjoyed watching her obvious aversion to him, her reaction to her confinement and was intrigued more than ever by her bold attempt to out-master him. He slowly moved his tongue across his mouth and felt a little blood on his lip, which only served to further excite him.

"I rather like fire and passion in a woman," he finally said with a subtle smirk.

"I'm so glad you like fire, Captain," she responded coldly, "for you're about to get more fire from me than you could ever imagine. And as for passion? Trust me when I say you'll feel my passion when the time comes. But this is not that time nor place."

"Oh, I disagree. Let's make it the time and place. Show me some fire and passion… here, now!" he demanded, curious of her remark and aroused by her spirit.

Calmly determined to oppose his request, Jewel walked toward him. He stood up to face her anticipating some glimpse of her true nature, yet she stopped and glared at him till sparkling lights reflecting in her eyes flashed him a sudden green glow.

"In time," she answered in a low, cold voice.

Taken aback by her strange response, Hawk watched her with intense curiosity. Not fully able to rationalize what he had seen, he finally shook his head dismissing it as his imagination. Jewel turned her back on him and walked around the room again, frustrated over the time she had to endure in the presence of this man. For several long minutes there was silence till she walked back to her chair and sat down.

"Captain, I'm very tired now and would like to get some rest, so where am I supposed to sleep?" she inquired calmly. "Actually, I prefer to stay in the brig with my companions." Not at all surprised by her remark, Hawk regarded it with casual indifference.

"Well, I don't think I could possibly have ye sleepin' on the cold, damp floor all night, especially with men snoring and rats foraging about," Hawk replied with a gloating smirk. "After all, you are a woman, and I simply couldn't treat a woman like that."

"Really? But you do allow your men to assault women now, don't you?" Jewel remarked disdainfully. "Believe me, Captain, the cold, damp floor of the brig sounds far more appealing than your… grand quarters. And since the presence of rats is assured either way, I'm certain I'd be safer and in better company… with them!"

"You try my patience, madam. But upon m' word and honor, no one'll bother ye here, and I'll be leavin'." Hawk stood up and walked to the door. "Oh, and be warned, a guard will be posted outside the door in case ye get a notion to walk about. But frankly, there's really nowhere ye can go, so… sleep well, my dear."

Before Jewel could respond, Hawk quietly closed the door and went to speak with Joe Hooper. The ship would remain anchored for the night, however at daybreak they would sail to a pre-determined location and wait for the Black Pearl to return as planned. Leaving Joe on deck to secure the ship for the night, Hawk went below deck to get some sleep. Farther below in the bilge, Jack and the commander sat opposite each other on the damp, dirty floor of the brig and tried to get some sleep as well. Not knowing Hawk had left Jewel alone in his quarters, both men worried that under their present situation neither could do anything to protect her against Hawk and his men.

As time passed Jack could not sleep and wondered if Gibbs would succeed in convincing Jewel's father that she was abducted and be able to secure the ransom to bring back with him. And finally, once Hawk got possession of the ransom, what would he do with them? Jack needed to come up with an idea for he knew once the Black Pearl and the money were in the hands of Hawk and his men, there would be no saving them from his corruptness and desire for revenge. While John slept, Jack's mind entertained several ideas for a possible escape, but none feasible until the Pearl returned allowing them safe passage. He soon heard the faint sound of movement among the barrels and sacks stored just beyond the bars of their confinement and frowned at the thought of rats this close to where he sat. He fondly thought of Rafe killing rats with his knife and wished he were there, however the motion of the ship and the stillness of the night soon calmed his troubled thoughts, and finally he too drifted into a deep sleep.

As the Raven settled in for the night, the Black Pearl sailed through the calm sea toward Antigua and the town of St. John's. Fortunately, her sails caught a brisk, easterly wind, which carried the Pearl over the ever-glistening water and gentle waves. Though the ship made good time, the hours passed slowly allowing many of the crew to sleep, but not for those who awaited the new day with nervous apprehension for at daybreak a few of the crew would embark on a venture as dangerous as confronting Hawk... entering the military protected port of St. John's.

By early morning the crew of the Raven began to stir, and life once more returned to the decks of the ship. While Hooper ordered several crewmen to weigh anchor and unfurl the sails, others began their usual work routine of swabbing the decks to keep the wooden planks from drying out and shrinking. Nets previously cast out the night before were hoisted as its bounty would soon feed the hungry crew. Having slept uncomfortably away from his quarters, Hawk was also awake. When the food was ready, he knocked on the door to his cabin then opened it and saw that Jewel was still asleep in his bunk. He put her food on the table and went over to where she lay to silently watch her. She stirred once and turned toward him. Her face was soft and alluring cradled by her long, dark hair, which flowed across the pillow cushioning her head. He was stunned by her beauty and thought to touch her cheek but remembered her slap from their previous encounter. Deciding not to anger her again, he quietly left the room.

The Black Pearl meanwhile arrived at their destination and was anchored a short distance up the coast from St. John's. The sun had just risen, and Gibbs decided it was time to go into town and find Mr. Whitbourne. He thought again about the words Jewel had him remember, words that would convince her father that her abduction was real. Taking with him another crewmember, Flynn, the two men lowered one of the small rowboats and rowed quietly toward the town. About an hour later they rounded a large area of rocks, and as they came into the sleepy port, they saw several ships already anchored near the docks. A few large, fishing boats had already set sail for the open sea with their nets ready to be cast out in anticipation of the day's ample haul of fish for the town's open market.

Rowing close to shore but out past the breaking waves, they soon reached a landing and made their way into the small town. It was still early in the morning and only shop owners and market vendors were up preparing for the day's hopeful flow of customers. An old man sat on a wooden bench near the boarded entrance to a tavern, his eyes closed and a dog lying on the ground near his feet. As Gibbs and Flynn came closer, the dog sat up and growled waking the old man. He opened his sleepy eyes to get a look at the strangers and gently patted his dog on the head. Gibbs greeted him, and the two men sat down with the old man to ask directions to the Whitbourne plantation. After some light-hearted amenities and conversation, they soon learned it overlooked the town from the top of a cliff not far from where they sat.

Gibbs wished the man well, and he and Flynn followed a narrow, winding road leading up a hill. They finally reached the entrance to the Whitbourne property where the road continued up to the front door of the main building then around the side toward the adjacent carriage house. The two men surveyed the area and saw several smaller structures attached to the house and two others a short distance away. Several men already working in the fields looked up from their chores at the two strangers as they passed by. It took a few minutes to reach the main door, and once they did, they knocked on it. It was presently opened by an elderly servant who warily looked the visitors up and down with a haughty air of suspicion.

"Good mornin'. We've come a long way to see Mr. Whitbourne. We need to see him immediately!" Gibbs announced while trying to catch his breath from the long walk.

"This is hardly a respectable hour. What is it regarding, sir?"

"Ye can tell him, it's regarding his daughter, Julianne."

"Come in and wait here," the servant replied and left to find Jewel's father. Flynn looked around at the fine furnishings and poked Gibbs in his side.

"Ne'er seen the inside of a fine house before. This here room alone got as much room as the whole crew's deck and then more." Flynn raised his hand up to show how much higher the ceiling was. Gibbs looked at the surroundings and smilingly agreed with him. "Ever think what it'd be like t' be a proper gentleman, Mr. Gibbs?" Gibbs put a hand on his companion's shoulder.

"It don't pay none to wonder 'bout that which will ne'er be. Best to leave affairs of gentlemen to gentlemen and that of sailors to sailors." Flynn was about to respond when a man still wearing his nightclothes and robe hurried into the room to greet them.

"I'm Richard Whitbourne. Please excuse my appearance, but who are you, and what information do you have about my daughter?" he impatiently asked.

"Sir, I'm Joshamee Gibbs. This is my companion, Flynn. We were, um… sent here with news of your daughter, Julianne."

Taken aback by their disheveled attire and the fact that these men would even know his daughter, Richard stepped closer to them and demanded to know what had happened to her.

"Sir, your daughter was on our ship headed for St. John's when a pirate ship, the Raven, surprised us during the night," Gibbs tried to explain calmly. "A group of armed men boarded and took your daughter for ransom as well as our captain and a British officer. We were ordered to sail here to tell you and insist that you come back with us along with the ransom money. Here's the letter from the Raven's captain with all the instructions."

Gibbs handed him the letter, and Richard stared at it a moment before motioning them to follow him into the library where they all sat down together. Richard ordered tea to be served, and while he read the letter, Gibbs and Flynn relaxed in comfortable chairs and casually looked around the room, once again admiring the fine furniture and collection of books and pictures.

"How do I know you're telling me the truth?" Richard inquired after reading the letter, still visibly shaken by the news of his daughter's alleged abduction. "It was no secret we were expecting her to arrive any day so this could just be a ruse to extort money from me."

"Uh, naturally that would be your first thought," Gibbs replied, "but Julianne told me something to tell ye so you would know for sure I was tellin' the truth, something only you would know to be true." Richard leaned forward in his chair to better hear what Gibbs had to say. "When Julianne was nine years old, she broke a teacup belonging to yer wife. It had little, red roses on it and was part of a wedding gift. Yer wife's uncle gave her the gift when you and she got married. Yer daughter was very upset when she broke it, but you comforted her and rocked her in yer arms. Ye said you would take care of everything."

Richard listened carefully, his hands all the while clutching the sides of the chair with anguish and frustration. He finally leaned back in his chair again and sat in silence for a few moments staring at a portrait hanging on the wall above the chair where Gibbs sat. It was a large portrait of Julianne as a young girl. As Richard remembered back to the time when she broke that teacup, he soon wiped away tears that welled up in his eyes. Gibbs and Flynn solemnly looked at each other, neither one sure what to further say.

"Yes, I had almost forgotten about that," he responded quietly as he fought back the tears. "It was in our previous home in Savannah. I had walked into the room after hearing whimpering sounds. There I found Julianne sitting on the floor with the broken teacup in her lap, just crying her little heart out. She was so small sitting there. I sat down next to her, I remember, and held her close in my arms, rocking her, which seemed to soothe her at the time. When I lifted up her little, tear-stained face with her swollen eyes and flushed cheeks, I kissed her on the forehead and hugged her." Richard shifted his eyes to look at Gibbs and Flynn. "I looked at her and told her everything would be alright. I would take care of it. I could see the trust in her eyes, and she smiled at me putting her arms around my neck."

"Sir, I've no children," Gibbs spoke up with a slight lump in his throat, "but I sense the heartache ye must be going through. I know yer daughter has loved you and trusted in you all her life, as she does now."

"It seems like only yesterday when that happened. I haven't seen my daughter for three years now, and my wife and I've missed her terribly. Just when our dreams of being with her again are at hand, you bring news that seeks to destroy our happiness." Not waiting for a reply, Richard looked away and slammed his fist on the arm of his chair in anger. "Why is my family tormented by these pirates, these animals? Why! It was because of them Julianne had to leave us in the first place. We even left Savannah in the hopes of starting a new life far away from them. Will these cursed animals ever be stopped and made to pay for their crimes?"

Richard jumped up and paced the room just as the servant brought in tea and served it to the men. While Richard took a sip and calmed down, Gibbs thought about what he told them. He was saddened by Richard's heartache and loneliness over his daughter, remembering the same tortured feeling after losing his wife and only child. Still there was hope for Julianne and the others for surely they were still alive, and with that thought in mind, Gibbs tried to comfort him.

"Sir, I don't know how, but we'll stop them. I promise! Our captain knows them very well, and I'm sure once he's free, we'll find a way to take revenge on the Raven fer you and yer daughter. However, now I must ask ye if ye'll be able to pay the ransom and come back with us?"

"Yes, of course!" Richard replied and sat down again to discuss with the men the terms of the ransom. When a strategy was in place, Richard offered the men some food and more drink, during which time he sent a servant to go to the fort and bring the town's military leader, Commander James Lanksbury, back to the house. Gibbs and Flynn were most reluctant to have an encounter with the British commander and tried to convince Richard not to seek help from him. Gibbs explained that Hawk was very serious in his demands and would not take kindly to having the military involved. Richard considered his explanation yet felt it to be in the best interest of everyone to have experienced men take control of the situation.

While Gibbs and Flynn nervously awaited the commander, Richard left the room to dress and make himself more presentable. When he returned the men listened as he talked more about Julianne and what happened to her in Savannah. They were shocked and saddened by the news and more disturbed that she was once again in the hands of the same men who terrorized her three years ago. When the commander finally arrived, Richard told him about the abduction of his daughter. He listened intently and decided it would be best for Gibbs and Flynn to return to their ship and wait for him and Richard to follow in the British ship, the Royal Arms. From there the two ships would sail back together to where they had left Julianne and the other hostages.

"Just where is your ship now, sir?" Lanksbury asked looking at Gibbs and Flynn, "And what is she called?" Gibbs hesitated and looked over at Flynn knowing full well he had to answer the question yet not knowing what the outcome of that answer would be. They were just moments away from almost certain arrest and incarceration, but the look of urgent desperation in Richard's eyes prompted him to tell the commander the truth.

"Our ship is anchored a short distance up along the coast," Gibbs answered reluctantly but quickly added, "We also have on board a handful of wounded British soldiers from the Vigilant picked up where they were drifting after Hawk sunk their ship."

Lanksbury's eyes widened in surprise at the news, and Gibbs hoped this would lessen the severity of the shock once the commander knew who they really were.

"How bad are they?" Lanksbury inquired, anxiously awaiting details.

"They're fine, sir, and being well taken care of by my men. It was their commander, John Riggs, who was also taken hostage along with our captain."

"I see. And who is your captain?" Gibbs paused a moment and took a deep breath.

"Sir, I am Joshamee Gibbs, first mate of the… Black Pearl."

"The Black Pearl!" exclaimed the commander in a startled and shaky voice. He abruptly stood up and pulled out his pistol. Surprised by the sudden outburst, the other men jumped back in their chairs with alarm and stared at him with mouths wide open. "And I presume Jack Sparrow is your captain!"

Gibbs swallowed hard and could only nod his head as he stared at the barrel of the pistol.

"Mr. Whitbourne! Why, these men are pirates and wanted by the British Royal Navy! Were you not aware of this?" Lanksbury looked over at Richard while continuing to point his weapon at Gibbs and Flynn. Richard was just as surprised by the outburst as his visitors.

"Absolutely not, Commander!" Richard strongly answered. "I don't consort with pirates, but I do believe these men. That pirate, Hawkins, has my daughter, and no matter what the cost, she must be rescued immediately, even if I have to dance with the devil himself!"

Lanksbury stared at him as he considered the situation. The two pirates did not appear to be a threat and with the more critical issue being the abduction of Julianne Whitbourne, the commander thought it best to concentrate on her rescue and deal with the pirates later. Gibbs and Flynn remained still but breathed a little easier as Lanksbury lowered his pistol.

"Of course, you're right, Mr. Whitbourne. My apologies." Lanksbury finally turned to Gibbs and Flynn. "Consider yourself on notice as of now, for I'm allowing you to return to your ship, however with reservation. And remember, as soon as we can depart, Mr. Whitbourne and the ransom will be on my ship to meet up with you. But, you pirates, hear me well! Do not fail us or attempt any trickery, for if this is a trick, you and all aboard the Black Pearl will rue the day most severely! Am I clear on that?"

"Oh, ye're very clear, but ye listen to me now," Gibbs responded sternly as he stood up to face the commander eye to eye. "Pirates! That's all you can think about is pirates. It's easy to call a man a pirate if he don't comply with yer way of life. But ye don't know us or Jack Sparrow. Ye seem to have forgotten it was Jack Sparrow, a pirate, who helped rescue the daughter of Governor Swann of Port Royal from the clutches of Barbossa some time back. It was Jack Sparrow, a pirate, who attempted to bring this man's daughter safely back to Antigua and her family, and it was Jack Sparrow, a pirate, who rescued yer Commander Riggs and his survivin' men when their ship was destroyed by Hawk, leavin' them fer dead in the water hangin' on fer dear life. Ye call us pirates, yet we've risked our freedom, our very lives to do the right thing here, to preserve life, not take it. And it was with that thought in mind that we've come here today with news of this young woman, again riskin' the lives of m' men and m'self. Ye call us pirates, but ye don't know us at all!"

Gibbs then turned to Richard.

"Ye have a very charming daughter, and you can be very proud of her. Even with her proper unbringin' and position, she saw us as real men, not animals or criminals. In the face of danger, she willingly took care of the wounded British soldiers, tearin' pieces of cloth from her dress to use as bandages and even took time to feed and comfort them. She's a great cook. She cooked a meal fer the whole crew. She's a beautiful, caring person whose smile brings a little bit of sunshine to all of us who know her." Gibbs looked down for a moment with a sigh. When he looked up again, he saw tears in Richard's eyes. "I now fear fer her life, fer the life of my captain, as well as John Riggs."

Finally turning back to Commander Lanksbury, Gibbs continued.

"Like it or not, Commander, Hawk has brought us all together by his actions, so we must band together to undo what he's done. He's the real enemy here, not me nor m' crew, and certainly not Jack Sparrow. So, let's get that understood. Now, am I clear on that, Commander?"

Lanksbury stared at him a moment with newfound respect and admiration for the man's integrity and willingness to come forward in defense of his crew and captain. He finally agreed and nodded his head.

"Looks like we all have work to do, Mr. Gibbs."

Gibbs nodded his head in return, and the men sat down together to go over the plan Gibbs and Richard had previously discussed regarding the ransom and the hostages. When all agreed to the strategy, Gibbs and Flynn immediately left the estate, grateful to still have their freedom and their necks. They hurried down the long road leading back to town and found the old man still sitting on the bench with his eyes closed. People had begun to gather in the market place and dockhands were busy carrying cargo and freight from ships that had arrived into port. Without drawing attention to themselves, they found their boat and rowed back the long way to where the Pearl was anchored. Once on board Gibbs ordered the men to prepare the ship to sail as soon as the Royal Arms joined them. As the crew made ready, Gibbs sat in Jack's quarters to gather his thoughts about his encounter with Richard Whitbourne and the commander, mentally preparing himself for the voyage and wondering whether an alliance with the British would help their cause or bring them doom.

About mid morning as the sun rose bright in the sky, the HMS Royal Arms appeared from around a seaside cliff and slowly approached the Black Pearl. The ship was large and majestic with at least sixteen gun ports, and as it came alongside the Pearl, a wooden plank was put out and secured between the two ships allowing Commander Lanksbury and several of his officers to board the Pearl. Gibbs met the commander and immediately provided him the bearings to the location where Jack and the others had been taken. After further instructions from the commander, Gibbs watched them take the wounded British soldiers and return to the Royal Arms, and the two ships set sail to rendezvous with the Raven and her infamous crew.

Richard Whitbourne stood by himself in a corner of the main deck of the Royal Arms and looked out past the bow watching the waves and hearing them hit against the hull of the ship. He thought back to the last time he had been on a ship. It was when he and Catherine moved to Antigua two years earlier, and now the swaying up and down motion of the ship made him unsteady and queasy. He tightly held onto a shroud tied securely to the starboard side and would occasionally squint his eyes as wind and sea spray blew in his face. In a large, leather pouch held securely under his arm was the ransom money to be paid for the safe return of his daughter. As he thought about her, Richard's somber mood was intensified by the thought that she was held by the same murderous pirates who raided his home in Savannah, killing his daughter's fiancé and causing her deep depression and inevitable separation from her family. He closed his eyes and tried to calm his anger, anxious more than ever to finally settle this once and for all with the pirate fiends.

It would be tomorrow before they would even reach the area where Hawk and his men had taken her, so there was still plenty of time to think about the plan they devised for her release and hopefully the capture of Hawk and his men. With this thought in mind, Richard turned to look for Commander Lanksbury and soon found him conversing with several of his officers on the quarterdeck. After checking the pouch and placing it again under his arm, he slowly walked in their direction and was soon able to motion to the commander to join him when he became available. When the commander finally spoke to him, Richard once again asked about the strategy, needing to be reassured that all would go well.

"Commander, I just want to make sure I understand everything. One of your men will act in my place aboard the Black Pearl, and I expect that once we arrive at the destination, the pirates will most likely board the ship to collect the ransom. Please tell me then, sir, how will your men be able to keep my daughter safe if you arrange for the Royal Arms to be some distance away and out of sight? Surely you know it doesn't take but a moment to kill a person especially at such close proximity."

"Mr. Whitbourne, the idea as you recall is that before we rendezvous with the Raven, many of my men will be disguised as pirates aboard the Black Pearl," the commander explained. "Once the exchange has taken place, your daughter will be taken immediately to a safe place below deck and well guarded by my men."

"And if there's trouble on board?" Richard's worried look gave way to feelings of fear and concern harbored deep within the heart of a father for his only child. "Pirates can't be trusted to follow the plans of honorable men."

"True words, sir, but you must consider this. To capture Hawk and save your daughter, we must trust and depend on the crew of another pirate, Jack Sparrow. According to his first mate, they were trying to bring your daughter home, so if I had to choose between them, Mr. Whitbourne, I'd prefer the crew of the latter. How about you?" Richard pensively nodded his head knowing the commander was right. The commander smiled and continued, "But to answer your question, just prior to rendezvous another small group of my men will row over to the island near where we meet up with the Raven. There they will set up watch and when the Raven sails from the area, the Black Pearl will bring your daughter back to the Royal Arms. If any altercation develops on the Black Pearl, my men will signal us from the island, and we will immediately sail to her location. Please know that my best men will be on board that ship, Mr. Whitbourne, ready to give their lives to ensure the protection of your daughter. It is our sworn duty, sir, to protect the citizens of Antigua from the threat of pirates, and your daughter's safety stands as our main priority."

"Thank you, Commander," Richard replied. "Those pirates are cutthroats and any wrong move will certainly endanger Julianne and everyone else aboard the Black Pearl including those other two hostages."

Lanksbury put his hand on Richard's shoulder.

"I do understand your concern, Mr. Whitbourne, but please be assured we will rescue your daughter, and all will be safe. Now, why don't you go to my quarters and rest for a while. I'm sure you'll begin to feel better, sir, and besides, you'll need your strength as we still have a long way to go."

Richard nodded his head as the commander walked away to tend to other matters. He watched him walk to the far end of the ship and when he was out of view, Richard turned to gaze out over the blue water again, watching as large waves continued to crash against the side of the ship sending up sprays of salt water. He looked up at the sails and was grateful for the wind that filled them, all the while carrying the ship closer to its destination. Still, it would be a long day and as the sun shone brightly through scattered clouds, he soon felt the warmth of its rays on his face. He was emotionally exhausted. He closed his eyes and saw in his mind his little girl's face and smile, her dark hair soft and hanging down on her shoulders. "I love you," her sweet voice whispered in his ear and he gazed into her laughing eyes just before she placed her arms around his neck in a warm embrace. He tearfully sighed at the memory.

"I love you, too." Richard choked on the words and opened his eyes looking around then out at water again. He had waited so long to see her again and knowing he would finally see her tomorrow made his heart rejoice, but his joy quickly turned to worry and concern. "This time tomorrow, Julianne. Please God, let her be safe and have courage." He wiped tears from his eyes and with a deep sigh walked towards the captain's quarters.

First mate Gibbs sat in the captain's quarters aboard the Black Pearl also thinking about tomorrow. He knew the plan, of course, and though reluctant before, he was now more than happy to have the British military in disguise when they finally met up with Hawk and the Raven. This actually turned out better than he had hoped, for Hawk could not be trusted to just give up the three hostages without incident. He would gladly take the ransom, but with a score to settle, he would most likely decide to do battle over Jack and the Pearl. He definitely wanted revenge and what better way to save face than to storm the Pearl and kill the crew after getting the ransom money. No one was safe here, but at least the British offered more gun and sword support for his crew. Feeling a bit more confident about the return voyage, Gibbs went out on the main deck and walked over to Jonesy and Marty at the helm. Cotton soon joined them.

"Steady as she goes, men," Gibbs said to them as he looked toward the other ship with a watchful eye, "and keep to the bearings as before. We don't wanna get too far ahead o' them. Remember, come early morn when we're closer to the island, we'll hold up a bit and have them Brits board the Pearl and take their place as part of the crew."

"Aye, Mr. Gibbs," Jonesy responded. "Though I'm none too happy havin' them Brits that close among us. But anything, I reckon, to get the cap'n back safely and the purty lady."

"Think we have of chance of savin' the captain, Mr. Gibbs?" Marty asked.

"If it were anyone but Jack, I would have m' doubts." He replied and gave them a wink. "But knowin' him as I do, he probably finagled his way into bein' captain of the Raven with Hawk as first mate and Hooper as cook." The men laughed and nodded their heads in agreement.

"We won't let 'im down," Jonesy said with a determined look on his face.

"We're comin' fer ye, Captain!" Marty declared loudly looking out over the water and putting his fist over his heart.

"Sail ahead, mateys. Waawk," squawked Cotton's parrot and the men laughed.

"Good men and bird," Gibbs replied with a proud smile. After leaving them, he walked around the ship and paused to wonder if tomorrow they would still be together as crewmates sailing on the Black Pearl under the command of their captain, Jack Sparrow. Not wanting to speculate otherwise, he put those thoughts away and returned once again to Jack's quarters.

Chapter 10

It was late morning, and the Raven had already set sail when Jewel woke up. With her eyes still closed, she turned over and snuggled deep under the warm blanket as a breeze blew in from the open windows and cooled her face. She had not slept well the last few nights and enjoyed the comfort of the bunk she now slept in. She felt the gentle swaying of the ship and soon heard voices outside the door from the crew on the main deck as they went about their daily routine. She opened her eyes and with a sleepy yawn, slowly stretched out her arms. She finally sat up and looked around the room, at first confused as to where she was. Then she remembered.

"Ah, yes, the lion's den," Jewel whispered to herself and slipped out of the bunk. She saw that food had been placed on the table, and despite being annoyed that someone had come in unannounced, she sat down to eat, helping herself to some cold biscuits and a banana with a few sips of water that had already been poured out for her in a cup. Afterward she looked out one of the windows, saw land a short distance away, and wondered what Hawk's next move would be. She checked her pouch beneath her dress to make sure she still had everything she needed and upon finding all in order, thought about her companions.

Saddened to think of Jack and John locked behind bars with their lives endangered, Jewel tried to think of how to help them. Though confident she was about to confront her opponent soon, she needed to find a way to accomplish her goal and still prevent any harm from coming to Jack and the commander. She had not bargained on having their lives at stake and felt their presence encumbered her ultimate goal. Still, they were with her now, and she would just have to alter the course of events as they began to unfold. She sat down again to have another drink of water and was about to formulate a new strategy when there was a knock on the door. Before she had a chance to acknowledge, the door opened.

"Good morning, missy," Hawk said cheerfully as he stepped into the room with one of the crew. "I'm glad ye're up and about this beautiful morning. Ye know, that's one thing I like about this part of the world… beautiful sunrises and sunsets. Hope ye slept well, and did ye get enough to eat, my dear?"

"Enough," Jewel replied curtly as she rose from the table and stepped away from it. She then waited to hear what he proposed to do with them.

"Excellent, now pay attention!" he said abruptly. "Today will be a busy day, and ye won't be seeing us fer a while. We'll all be goin' ashore, 'cept fer you and pretty boy."

"Where are you taking Jack?" she demanded moving swiftly toward him, but as Hawk stepped back through the open doorway onto the main deck, one of his guards, Malik, quickly grabbed her before she could reach the captain. She struggled with him a little though not enough to reveal her true strength and skills. Two other men approached the cabin with Jack, his hands tied securely in front of him. Frustrated that she could do no more at the moment to help him, she anxiously looked at him and presently saw two more men drag John toward the main mast and tie him to it.

"Please, where are you taking Jack Sparrow?" she calmly asked, but Jack could only shrug his shoulders and give her a weak smile before a crewmember blocked her view.

"To shore, like I said, where we've business to take care of," Hawk answered with a laugh. "But you, my dear, need not be concerned. Ye'll kindly stay in m' quarters fer now. Be sure to have a look around m' wardrobe. I'm rather proud of the collection of fine dresses in there and seein' the condition of yer own dress, ye're certainly welcome to put on anything ye like, at least fer the time ye're a guest aboard m' ship. But should ye start getting lonely or think about wanderin' around, I'm sure Malik here will be more than happy to keep ye company."

"Just wait till I see you again," she angrily whispered under her breath and wrestled her arm away from the guard. Malik bowed his head slightly and smiled exposing several missing front teeth to which Jewel turned her head in disgust.

Hawk made a motion with his hand, and the men led Jack away as he struggled to loosen their grip. Malik walked out onto the main deck leaving Hawk to give Jewel his parting words, after which he tipped his hat and slowly closed the door. The pirates boarded the longboats waiting to cast off from the ship, and after pulling Jack down into one of them, they quickly rowed to the island. When the boats reached the shore, Hawk and his men disembarked dragging Jack along with them. They soon made their way over the hilly terrain and down through a narrow ravine leading ultimately to an opening of a cave. The mouth of the cave was partially hidden behind some bushes, but the pirates easily found it and went inside lighting torches along the way that had previously been set up on wooden stakes and stuck in the ground. At last, they came to a large cavern with a high ceiling and several tunnels leading into other dark and narrow passages. While a few of the men scurried ahead of the others to light more torches scattered throughout the area, Hawk nodded his head and pointed his finger. Jack was immediately taken over to the right side of the cavern where a rope was passed through a large metal ring imbedded in the rock high above his head and his hands retied.

Once alone Jack pulled hard on the ropes that held him, but they only allowed his hands to move several inches apart. He stopped struggling after a while and looked around the cavern only to find to his great disappointment that it did not hold any treasure or gold rather a large stockpile of gunpowder, rum, and other supplies scattered in different areas and behind various large and small rock formations. In the middle of the cavern was a long table with two long benches where many of the men sat and began to drink rum and play cards to pass the time away. Others went to the back of the cavern where a large target was set up. Here they took turns throwing their knives and boisterously wagering on who the best expert shooter was. Even Joe made a few throws with his knife to see how he would fare and succeeded in doing well, though no one seemed quite good enough to hit the center mark. Hawk, meanwhile, took a moment to casually walk over to Jack and snickered when he saw him helpless and safely secured to the ring.

"Well, Jack, I'm afraid this is yer final port of call," he said triumphantly. "I do hope ye're comfortable for ye're goin' to be here fer some time. Ye see, mate, it's been a long time, but I remember this cave bein' pretty well hidden on this small, remote island, so it's highly unlikely fer anyone to be savin' ye this time. Aye, I figure without food and water ye could possibly die in… say a week or two's time, and nary a one would even know ye were here. And this be the good part. Not long after maggots and other crawlin' slimy nasties ate yer flesh and innards, just yer skeleton would be hangin' from this here ring. A fitting tribute to the great Captain Jack Sparrow. Just picture yerself, Jack. A rotting skeleton with yer trinkets hanging down yer skull!"

"Uh, no bloody thanks!" Jack replied with a grimace. "Once is quite enough fer me actually, but have ye anything else to offer?" Hawk gave him a baffled look and laughed.

"Always negotiating, but… no! Still I tell you what, ol' friend. Just to show you I'm a decent man, I'll even give you one last swig of rum. A farewell drink fer old time's sake."

Hawk turned and called for a bottle of rum and allowed Jack to have a few good swallows before emptying the bottle himself and smashing it on the ground. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve then proudly stood back with his arms folded, coldly staring at Jack and relishing in the apparent hopelessness of his captive's predicament.

"There now, old man, ye just stand there and be good," he finally sneered and walked away. After turning back one last time, he added, "And Jack… just so ye know, we'll be takin' real good care of the pretty lady and the Black Pearl. Oh, and we'll also be back in a few months to get yer… um… gold teeth."

As Jack watched him leave he fought against the ropes, but it was useless, and though he had been in life and death situations before, the idea of being Hawk's prisoner and the object of his arrogant ridicule and mockery was the ultimate affront to his dignity. He looked around in the hopes of finding some way to free himself but realistically had to admit he was really in a bind this time, thinking not so much for himself, though he would do that once he was left behind, but more so for Jewel and his ship. Each day for him was a risk he willingly took, avoiding the British Royal Navy or other pirates like Hawk, but this time Jewel and his crew were in danger, and he was not ready to give up or even reconcile with those possibilities. At least, for the moment, Hawk and his men were in the cave getting drunk and rowdy, and he prayed that a miracle would happen to save them all.

Jack thought about Rafe, and how he had desperately searched for Joe Hooper. He remembered how the boy fought and wondered where he was and how he was faring. How ironic, he thought, that he and not Rafe should be the one to encounter the scoundrel. He sure needed Rafe's help now and would have loved to have seen him go up against Joe knowing the power and skills the boy possessed. Still Rafe was gone and if he and the others were going to be saved, it was now up to him, yet at the moment he was hardly in any position to save himself much less anyone else.

Sadly, Jack closed his eyes with thoughts of Jewel, wondering what she was doing and if she was all right. He knew she had to be frightened and with just reason. Furthermore she needed protection from these cutthroats. He then thought of Riggs. With all the pirates in the cave except for Malik, this would be an opportune time for the commander to show what kind of hero he could be. Surely he could find some way to free himself and Jewel and together escape with the Raven. As much as he did not care for the two of them together with himself left to die, it tickled him to think that Hawk and the others would also be stranded on the island with him. What a fitting end for all of them, marooned like him. Jack smiled at the thought and watched the others idly pass the time.

Knowing her long awaited encounter with the enemy was at hand, Jewel rummaged through the captain's full closet looking for something more suitable to wear. The dress she had on was torn from making bandages and would not allow her the flexibility she needed for any physical confrontation she would have with Hawk and Big Joe. She therefore looked for one that was loose and without buttons and lace. Presently she found the dresses Hawk previously referred to and was grateful he had given his permission for her to choose any of them to change into, yet as she looked them over, she wondered why Hawk had dresses aboard the ship in the first place. She chuckled to herself and decided it must be a pirate thing but then thought about Jack. He barely had an extra shirt of his own, and she laughed to herself thinking of poor ole Jack without any women's dresses in his closet.

Jewel soon found a long, white, loose-flowing dress that seemed rather appropriate for what she needed and took it out of the closet. Regretting having to ruin the dress, she nevertheless cut the top with her knife just below the waist and laid the two pieces to the side. She next took off her own clothes and walked over to the mirror where she examined herself. Her body was lean and strong from her many hours of training, and she took a few minutes to stretch her muscles. When she was ready, she put on her breeches and boots again and finally the white top of the dress, carefully tucking it into her breeches and smoothing it out.

Pleased so far, Jewel reached for the long skirt and cut it so she could wrap it around her body and tie it in the back. Once more she looked in the mirror to ensure the skirt covered her breeches and boots. The dress looked nice, and after turning her body from side to side, she gave herself a nod of approval. Now thinking what to do about her hair, she looked around, found a brush and slowly ran it through her tangled hair letting it hang down past her shoulders. Not wanting it to get in her face, she looked through the dresses once more for a ribbon. After finding one, she detached it from the dress and with it tied her hair behind her head. When all was done she put her knife back in her boot and reached under her skirt to take out the golden medallion and what was left of the twine from her pouch. Jewel stared at herself in the mirror one last time and carefully put the medallion around her neck. She gazed at the emerald's striking brilliance as it hung down in front of her and held it in her hand. Her fingers immediately tingled from its touch with an energy waiting to be released, and she closed her eyes and calmed her anxious nerves.

"This is for you Edward," she whispered remembering his kind face and gentle smile. After a few moments, she closed her eyes and slowly chanted.

"Let the mind be clear to focus on the things that are yet to come,

That the heart might feel the spirit and with the dragon's soul be one."

Jewel repeated the words several times to fortify herself with courage and strength and felt the power of the emerald surge through her body. Soon her spirit was restored and energized with resolution and a firmness of mind and will to withstand the danger and opposition that awaited her. She opened her eyes and quickly searched for a shawl of some sort and found something suitable from the wardrobe. She wrapped it around her shoulders and fastened it in the front to cover the medallion. Now ready to go after Jack she took the twine and slowly opened the door of the captain's quarters.

Malik was sitting on a barrel outside the door with his eyes closed. When he heard the door open, he quickly stood up and turned just in time to see Jewel strike him hard on both sides of the neck with the palms of her hand. He instantly lost consciousness and fell to the deck. Using the last of her twine, she tied him up leaving him lying on the floorboard then checked for other pirates. Upon finding no other pirate on board, she saw John tied to the main mast with a gag over his mouth. She immediately ran over to release him, and when he saw her coming, he squirmed to free himself from the ropes.

"Are you alright, John? Are you hurt?" she asked removing the gag and putting her hands on his face and checking for injuries.

"I'm fine, Julianne, but untie me now before any of the others come back," he implored and looked around the ship to ensure they were alone. "Please hurry, so we can take the Raven and leave the area."

"What? And leave Jack behind?" she asked shocked by his suggestion. "After he saved you and your men from drowning, you just want to leave him here alone and defenseless to deal with Hawk and his men?"

"Believe me, Julianne, Jack would want you to be safe."

Jewel looked at him in disbelief and backed away from him. What he said was probably true, but she knew Jack was a pirate first then perhaps a gentleman. His first instinct would be to escape and return to the ship. Furthermore, she had no intention of leaving Jack in the danger she had put him in or forego this opportunity to complete her mission. She had to find Hawk and Hooper quickly before anything happened to Jack, and in spite of John's appeal to be set free, she decided not to untie him. She knew he would only try to keep her on board the Raven and sail away or worse yet, try to follow her if she left the ship. What she had to do now required no one's help, at least not from any man.

"Sorry, John," she responded. "This is one fight you can't be a part of. And if you even wondered why I was on the Black Pearl, well, let's just say Jack and I are real close friends, and friends don't leave friends behind. So now, I have to go after him. With any luck, we'll be back for you. If not, then I guess… this is goodbye."

John was about to protest when Jewel gently put her hand against his cheek.

"Don't worry about me!"

"Julianne, stop! You must release me now!" John ordered and struggled against the ropes. "I can help Sparrow. Please, you need me!"

Jewel motioned for him to be still and gazed into his eyes. He became silent as he watched rays of sunlight illuminate the green of her eyes causing them to sparkle. To his surprise she placed her hands firmly on each side of his face once more and concentrated on him. Soon his body relaxed and she took her hands away.

"John, everything is alright. You are in no danger, nor am I. You will stay here and be very calm, won't you?" she said softly.

"Yes, I will," he responded serenely and watched as she quickly went over to Malik who still lay unconscious on the deck and checked on him. She next went over to one of two remaining rowboats and after some initial difficulty finally maneuvered it down to the water. Racing against time knowing each minute was precious if she wanted to help Jack, she rowed herself to shore where the other boats were pulled up on the sand. There she found footsteps leading away from the boats and followed them down through the narrow ravine that lead up to the partially hidden mouth of the cave.

Not knowing what to expect, Jewel stood at the cave's entrance and decided to deal with whatever she encountered as it happened. She stepped into the opening and waited a few moments to allow her eyes to adjust to the darkness then suddenly heard the sounds of talking and loud laughter coming from a place not too far away. With light from the lit torches, she followed the sounds and slowly made her way along the narrow passage. After her eyes became accustomed to the dimness within the cave, she was soon able to see the flickering light of more lit torches a little farther ahead.

Jewel moved slowly and finally reached the opening to a very large cavern. She was amazed at its size and height but was pleased for it would serve her purpose quite nicely. She quickly scanned the area noticing many men sitting on long benches at a large table in the center of the cavern drinking, laughing, and being rowdy. Hawk and Joe Hooper stood talking to one another near the large table on the left side, and on the opposite side not far from a stockpile of gunpowder and kegs of rum, Jack stood alone and tied to an iron ring in the wall. In the rear of the cavern, she saw a target with several knives still sticking out from where they made their mark. Standing around it, several pirates were laughing and lifting bottles of rum to their mouths.

Jewel knew the time had finally come, so focusing on her mission and the power she possessed with the medallion, she took a deep breath and bravely walked toward the middle of the cavern. Sensing movement coming toward them, some of the men looked up and saw her approaching. As more men turned to look at her, the loud boisterous noise of talk and laughter subsided into a low murmur, then silence. Hawk and Joe also looked around and saw the beautiful, young woman standing before them bold and unafraid. Even Jack was now aware of her presence, and all were shocked to see her. The men were mesmerized in their drunken state by the sight of the woman in white, an angel for sure, pure and radiant. Jewel looked at each man as her eyes passed over them and settled on the man in black. Hawk quickly took a few steps toward her and broke the silence.

"Why, young lady, tis a pleasure to see ye again. Seems you were able to slip by my guard and find us. How very resourceful of you. I'll have to remember to speak to Malik about his sentinel skills, or rather lack of them. But since ye're here now, welcome to our humble island retreat. Of course, if I'd known you were comin', I'd have had the men tidy up a bit and put flowers on the table." His tone was glib and sarcastic. After looking her up and down, he remarked, "Hmmm, still… what a lovely vision you make. And I'm so pleased ye found something to wear that suits you just perfectly."

"I'm glad you're pleased," she flippantly replied and looked at Jack with a gnawing pang of guilt over his dangerous predicament. "I see you have Captain Sparrow tied up and looking very… uncomfortable." She turned back and lowered her eyes at Hawk, then smiled up at him demurely. "Surely, Captain, you can find some other way to detain the poor man, couldn't you… please? I'm afraid it really stresses me so to see another human being treated so harshly." Her eyes pleaded with him and waited for a response, but it came without feeling or compassion.

"It stresses you so?" he asked with a subtle hint of pleasure. "How beguiling of you, but… no! It concerns me not whether the poor man is comfortable or not."

"Very well, but what are you going to do with him?"

Hawk shrugged his shoulders.

"Actually, I'm not going to do anything with him 'cept keep him here out of harm's way. In fact, I've told m' men to not touch him for fear of reprisal from me." He raised his right hand. "Honest, I did. Now, just why have ye taken the trouble to come all the way here? Surely it wasn't to see if Jack was comfortable or not. Perhaps it was because ye missed my company?"

The crew began to laugh while the two stared at each other. Jewel finally spoke up.

"Hardly. However, I do believe you like a good wager, Captain," Jewel said as she moved a little closer to him. "That is why you're here, right? A previous wager with Jack. Why not make a wager with me for the life and freedom of Jack Sparrow? I promise to make it interesting and… entertaining."

Hawk snickered to himself, amused by the mere thought of her suggestion.

"And just what are the terms of yer wager, dear lady?"

"I'll gladly tell you," she responded. "But first, may I please have a word with Captain Sparrow… alone?"

"Ye may," he replied after a moment's thought then looked at her sternly, "but no runnin' a rig with me, mind ye."

Satisfied that there was no harm in it, Hawk flicked his hand to indicate his approval. Jewel nodded with relief and turned to walk toward Jack calmly ignoring the whistles and lewd remarks made by the pirate crew as she passed them. While she focused on the man she came to save, she allowed the others to savor this moment for she knew they had very few left. Luckily Jack was alone, and she could talk to him without being overheard. He watched as she came closer feeling all the more helpless for not being able to protect her from this wretched pack of rabid dogs. He also wondered why she had left the ship leaving John behind. When at last she stood in front of him, she looked at his hands bloodied and tied high above his head and finally at his tired and weary face. She took a quick glance at Hawk's men sitting some distance behind her and turned back again to look at Jack. He gave her an exasperated expression.

"Miss Whitbourne, this is hardly the place fer a lady and unless ye've got gunpowder and a bucket of shot, several pistols, a sword, and a loaded cannon under your petticoat, there better be a good reason why ye're here."

"There is, and I thought you were going to call me Jewel."

"Only if ye go back to the ship and find a way to leave the island."

Jewel smiled at his effort to send her away.

"I'm sorry, Jack, but I won't leave without you. I have some things to take care of first, but I promise to get you out of here. Only you must wait for my signal."

She reached up to touch his hands and spread them apart as far as the rope would allow noting the space between them. Slowly lowering her hands along the length of his arms, she finally placed them on each side of his face and gave him a serious look.

"When I call you, you must quickly spread your hands far apart and keep them steady," she whispered. "And most of all, you must trust me. No matter what you see and how you feel, you must do what I say and trust me as you've never trusted anyone before. It's the only way. Do you understand me, Jack?"

Jack gave her a frustrated and puzzled look.

"Miss Whitbourne… uh, Jewel, stop this now," he pleaded. "I can't let ye sacrifice yer safety fer me. What were ye thinking? And where's Riggs?"

"Sh-h, hush," she whispered to him. "John is still on the Raven. Don't worry about him. Listen to me! There's not much time. You must know that what you're about to see and learn about me will shock you, but it's something I have to do. I can't explain now, but maybe one day. Also know that I never meant to harm or deceive you. Please understand, Jack, that what I do after this is the reason I'm here. It's my mission to see justice done, and I will see it through to the end, whether I live or not."

Jack was startled by her confession, but more so when she slowly pressed her body against his and looked up at him. Her eyes sparkled from the glow of the torches, and as he gazed into them, he heard familiar words.

"Just in case something happens, and I don't get another chance, I do… want to experience the taste and feel of your lips," she said in a whisper and continued to hold his face in her hands as she leaned toward him.

Jewel closed her eyes and gently brushed her lips against his, moving her moist tongue slowly along the curve of his mouth. The sensation made him sigh and close his eyes. After a moment she moved even closer drawing him into a deep, passionate kiss, intense yet tender, her lips soft yet demanding. He yielded to her touch, and the feel of her body pressing against his made him tremble. He felt his knees go weak and was grateful the ropes tying his hands together also kept him from falling down. For all the kisses he had experienced in his life, this was the sweetest for he had never been kissed with so much tenderness and passion, and in his present situation, this was certainly a kiss to die for. He wanted so badly to put his arms around her, to hold her, but that was impossible with the ropes. Moments later he felt her move and step away from him, her eyes lowered. Flushed and breathing heavy she finally looked at him, and a little smile came to her face.

"Oh, woman!" Jack remarked while trying to catch his own breath as well. "So what now? What are you goin' to do?"

"Save us!" she answered with a gleam in her eye.

"No, Jewel, whatever ye're thinking, ye can't do this! I beg ye!" he pleaded again. "Ye can't save me, but you can save yerself. Go back to the ship now before it's too late!" Jack looked at the pirate crew and lowered his voice. "You and Riggs still have a chance. Go back to the ship and try to sail away. Find the Pearl and tell Gibbs to take care of my ship."

"Jack, please don't worry about me or the Pearl," she responded calmly. "Look at me very closely. Don't you even recognize me? Surely you must know who I am by now. Look deep into my eyes and know that I am the woman whom Rafe spoke about. I have come from far away with the power to destroy evil. I have come for them, but I have also come for you for I am she, of the soil, the trees, the rocks, and the streams. Jack, I am the one."

Slowly stepping back a little further, she loosened the shawl and let it fall from her shoulders to the ground unveiling the dragon medallion.

"I am… the Dragon Lady!"

Like a beacon shining out to sea, light reflected brightly off the gold onto the cavern walls near them. Jack immediately narrowed his eyes and stared at it, then back at her with a dumbfounded look on his face. Smiling at his reaction, Jewel put her hands together and bowed before him, then turning quickly she walked away leaving him stunned and in shock. How could this possibly be, he thought to himself. She had Rafe's medallion. It was his, for he had seen it with his own eyes and held it in his hands. And how did she know Rafe and especially what he said to him aboard the Pearl? Rafe had told him a woman would come into his life. Was Jewel the one he referred to, this demure young woman who just announced she was the Dragon Lady? His Dragon Lady?

Jack's mind was spinning with shock and confusion, and though he tried to sort through all he had just heard, nothing made sense. Jewel said she was the daughter of a prosperous landowner who raised sugarcane in Antigua. How could she possibly have Rafe's medallion unless she stole it from him in Gilley's Rock? But then again, the Dragon Lady would have her own medallion as well. She said it was her mission, but Rafe said he also had a mission. What was going on? They both had green eyes and even bowed the same way with their hands together. Were they brother and sister? Jack immediately disregarded that idea and decided he could not think about it anymore. All he cared about now was Jewel endangering her life by going up against the biggest and cruelest pirates in the Caribbean and Atlantic coastline.

Jewel walked back to where Hawk was waiting amid the loud sounds of kissing and oohs and ahs from his crew. He watched her approach the center of the cavern, and when she walked past the table of men, she suddenly turned to look at them. Their loud heckling and jeers quickly turned to silence when she grasped the medallion and her eyes flashed an eerie, green glow at them. Smiling at their apparent surprise and confusion, Jewel presently stood once again before the captain, and as he stared at the glistening treasure, the light reflecting from the gold immediately attracted his greedy attention.

"Well, missy, now that ye've had yer… special moment with Jack, let me say how much we all enjoyed the show," he said sarcastically. "Why, quite honestly, I've n'er seen the old bloke so happy, and I'm absolutely sure yer sweet, tender kiss would've been his final request without a doubt."

"Final?" She glared at him with cold eyes. "I hardly think anything is final yet. In fact, Captain, when all this is over, we'll just have to see who's left standing, you or Jack."

"Ah, I simply admire a beautiful woman and one with such attitude," he responded smiling. "Even more so than yer spineless captain. Still, how delightfully refreshing." He then shouted out, "Yer kind of woman, right Joe?"

Chapter 11

Jewel watched as the pirates standing near the table moved to the side, and from behind them a large man slowly walked out and approached her. Knowing the first mate's proclivity toward young women, his men patted him on the back with words of lustful encouragement as he walked by. Focusing her attention and without taking her eyes off him, she called out to Hawk.

"Our wager then, Captain, for the life of Jack Sparrow. Are you ready now to hear my terms?" While waiting for Hawk's response, Jewel felt her heart beating faster as she stared at Joe Hooper and touched the medallion for reassurance.

"By all means," he replied narrowing his eyes and staring at her. "I can hardly wait, and it better be worth my while."

"Oh, that it is. Something you'll find most worthy of your approval." Jewel replied and continued to stare at Joe then pointed a finger at him. "I want him!"

Amid cheers from the crew, Joe smiled at her gesture and took off his shirt to reveal a large well-muscled body. He lazily stretched out his arms flexing his biceps and slowly moved his head from side to side making quiet cracking sounds with his neck. He stood firmly with his fists on his hips and watched her closely with narrowed, lascivious eyes. Jewel remembered those eyes and shuddered at the thought of them.

"I will defeat Joe Hooper in a fight to the death, after which Jack Sparrow and I will leave this island safely on your ship, and you'll never pursue him again." She finally turned to look at Hawk.

"Nor anyone else it would seem," he cynically responded with a shrug of his shoulders. "That is, of course, if ye manage somehow to take my ship." The crew howled with laughter and banged on the table with their fists. Hawk nodded his approval then motioned for them to calm down. "Well, missy, that's a pretty big wager fer a pretty little lady." He chuckled through his ill attempt to be serious. "And I suppose, my dear, ye have something of value to put up as well… ye know, just in case ye don't win."

"I do," she replied. "As you can see, the medallion I wear is of the purest gold with a large emerald. It is truly priceless, for it is one of just a few in the world, forged in the mountains of China by a secret group of highly skilled craftsmen. Not only does it surpass all others in beauty, but it has great power as well; a power only for those who know how to use it. Obviously, Captain, if I should lose, I surely won't need it anymore."

"Power? What kind of… power?" Hawk narrowed his eyes at the prospect of knowing more about the treasured medallion.

"I can't tell you about it for truly it is not a power that can be described in words, only something that must be felt, something experienced, and I promise you, Captain, I have every intention of letting you have that experience, but only if the wager is won. If it is not, then the medallion remains a shiny trinket and the secret of its power lost forever."

For several long moments, Hawk gazed longingly at the medallion as it glowed from the light of the torches then regarded the options before him, feeling most confident they were in his favor. Jewel waited patiently for his response hoping his growing curiosity regarding all she had said about the medallion was enough to lure him into her scheme. She knew he could forcibly take it from her, but he wanted more. He wanted the secret of its power and was willing to wait for it. Knowing she could count on his immense greed for such power, she started to breathe deeply in preparation for her challenge.

"Oh, the wager will be won, my dear," he declared with assurance for he naturally assumed she meant if Joe won the wager. It was ludicrous to think that a mere woman, or any man, for that matter, could possibly defeat the mighty Joe Hooper in a fight unless she meant to shoot him. Fortunately, there were no guns in the cave. Still he admired her courage and if not for anything more than just curiosity, he was now willing to acquiesce her request and ultimately possess the medallion.

"Agreed," he finally said with his greedy eyes still fixated on the medallion. "Hey, Joe, the lady wants ye! So come now and see if ye can oblige her. If ye win, my friend, you can even have her." The crew began whistling and howling for action.

Jack watched from the side and heard her wager his life for the medallion. He could not believe Hawk allowed her to suggest such a ludicrous and deadly wager, pitting herself against a man, and not just any man but the most powerful and ruthless pirate around no less, Joe Hooper. Hawk however had other self-serving priorities, mainly the notion of possessing the golden medallion and the promise of its great power.

"Jewel, don't do it!" yelled Jack frantically pulling hard on the ropes.

Jewel turned to look at him, feeling confident and relieved over the impending confrontation. She watched him struggle to free himself and appreciated his efforts knowing he was concerned for her safety, but under the circumstances she was glad he was safely out of the way. Sensing movement from Hooper, she turned back around as he stepped closer, while a few of the men continued to whistle and got up from the table to get a better look. She was small standing in front of the big man, yet she was not afraid for she knew this was the day of his reckoning, and she would bring swift judgment. She took in several more deep breaths and stared at the man who had changed her life forever, who set her on this course, this final showdown that would now culminate in a mortal fight between the forces of good and evil. With her whole body on alert and ready for action, she brought her hand up to gently caress the medallion then slowly released it.

"I've come from the other side of the world just for you, Joe Hooper," she said calmly. "My whole reason for living these last three years was for this very moment. At last, we are together… again."

Joe was confused by her bold statement and watched her as she began to move around. He could not remember where he had seen her before for surely he would have remembered her, especially if she were one of the many women he had assaulted over the years, Then again he had to admit he never really looked at their faces that well. Still not able to remember, he finally dismissed the thought and narrowed his eyes to better observe every curve of her body. He relished the sight and now feeling a sudden, subtle stirring within him, was anxious to subdue her, force her into submission, and finally have his way with her.

"You see, I bear your mark." Jewel interrupted his thoughts and held up her right hand to show him the scar shaped as the letter 'J'. Joe acknowledged with a little sneer and slowly ran his tongue across his lips while still trying to remember her. She gently ran her finger over the scarred letter and as she cautiously moved closer, he felt a growing breathless feeling of rousing excitement.

"And I see you bear mine," she mockingly added. He curiously watched as she took her finger and slowly traced an imaginary scar down her cheek to match the one on his, and it was then he realized who she really was. She was the same woman who cut him three years ago in Savannah and the only woman to escape from him. Yet here she was after all this time, standing defiantly before him, challenging him to a test of strength and skill and tempting him now with her condescending and provocative manner, taunting and provoking him to anger. He became enraged and maliciously took several threatening steps toward her while his crewmates loudly cheered him on.

"So ye've had three long years to think of me, eh. Well, I dare say, woman, I'm touched. And should I now give ye a knife to finish me off or is that beyond yer feeble capabilities, just like before?"

Before Jewel could answer, he loudly ordered one of the crew to bring her a knife. A man quickly came forward and handed one to her. As she closely examined the sharp blade, she wondered how many lives had been taken with it then looked up just as Joe turned to address his rowdy crew.

"Well, mates, care to wager whether she'll have the nerve to off me here and now?" Joe began to laugh and while the crew laughed with him, Jewel held the knife by the blade and raised her hand in the air.

"Hey, look out, Joe!" someone yelled, and Joe turned quickly in time to see Jewel throw the knife in his direction. With a surprised gasp, his eyes widened in fear as the blade flew past his head missing him by inches.

"You missed, madam!" he growled angrily, glaring at her.

"Did I?" she answered calmly and waited while he turned his head to see where she had thrown the knife.

"Joe! Look now!" yelled another one of the crew as he ran toward the back of the cave. "She hit the bloody target dead on its center mark!"

All eyes turned to look at the target hanging from the cavern wall, the same one Joe and some of the others had thrown at earlier. Even Jack strained to look back and was in shock for there in the middle of the target was the very knife Jewel had thrown. Hawk, who was sitting on the end of the table, had been quiet all this time, yet even he stood up to look back at the target. When he turned back around to look at her, he caught her glance and nodded his head with an approving smile, as did Joe.

"You could've saved yerself a lot of trouble and killed me just then when ye had the chance," he sneered.

"Yes, I could have, but that would have been far too easy, too fast, and with little satisfaction. No… your death must be slow and painful, precise and unexpected."

Jewel saw the look in his eyes turn deadly and was not surprised when he moved to come closer to her. She continued in a loud commanding voice.

"Stop! I'm not finished! You will hear me out!"

Startled by her sudden outburst, Joe stopped and stared at her with a scornful expression, listening along with the other men who were anxious to hear what she had to say.

"You murdered my fiancé!" she shouted pointing her finger at him. "You murdered a good man senselessly as well as countless others without remorse and without a single thought, other than the satisfaction of ending forever all that was good in this world, all those who had real purpose, all those who brought love and happiness to others. Real men and women, not the worthless excuses for human beings that you all are." Jewel pointed to all of them then paused a moment to catch her breath and calm her anger. She touched her medallion and felt its reinforcing energy sustain her. "You're a worthless scourge and a pig. You're no real man but a coward, a coward who can only maim innocent women and kill defenseless men who are held and bound by the evil, malicious dogs you call a crew. Have you ever, ever in your despicable life fought anyone alone as an equal? Surely not, but today you have a chance to show everyone here, your crew and your captain, just how good you are against a woman, for I challenge you to fight for your life and the life of your men. But know now you're no match for me, as I fight with dignity and honor. After three long years, Joe Hooper, I've finally come for you. Know also that the hour of your death is upon you now, for today… you will die by my hand!"

Joe shook his head in amusement, while his crew rowdily clamored for the fight.

"Such brave words from one so small," he rebuked her. "What say ye, woman! Come forward, and I promise you can even strike the first blow, if ye have the strength! But if ye can't, little one, just remember, we still have some unfinished business."

While Jewel listened with disdain and watched Joe's pompous air of self-grandeur, Jack was shocked by all he had heard from both Hooper and Jewel. He was repulsed by the very thought of Hooper and pained by what he must have done to her. He admired her courage to stand before this band of ruthless pirates, berate them for their despicable deeds, and then challenge Hooper to fight for his life. Still regretfully all he could do was wait, though, he remembered, if she were the Dragon Lady as she said, perhaps she might just be able to hold her own against Hooper, that being if all the things he'd heard about her were true. While he pondered that thought, Jewel moved away from Joe and reached behind her back to untie the white skirt. Holding the back end of the skirt in one hand, she swung it out and to the front of her in a wide circular motion.

Joe was distracted by the display and continued to watch and wait for her to finish. She finally flung the skirt to the side and stood in front of him dressed for the fray with her shirt loosely tucked in her breeches and her medallion in full view of everyone there. As Jewel placed the medallion inside her shirt, Joe continued to sneer at her and began to strut around in a small circle before his men, waving his arms above his head and fueling their clamor and cheers. He then stopped and turned around to face her again. He arrogantly put his hands on his hips and obligingly leaned downward to allow her the first blow as promised, not really caring the manner or fashion it would come for that was her choice. He chuckled to himself thinking how ridiculously ludicrous it was for this brazen wench to even attempt such an outlandish suggestion as to fight him. He glared at her and waited patiently for he was confident she would eventually just cry and cringe in fear as all women do around him and willingly decide to end this absurd nonsense knowing her efforts were futile and she could never beat him.

Hawk, on the other hand, observed from where he sat the effect Jewel had on his crew and first mate. The ire she provoked in his men was understandable, but what she said was correct. Their deeds were despicable but only as a means to an end, that being the acquisition of things they neither had nor earned, and though he personally did not participate in the deeds she so eloquently alluded to, as their leader she still held him accountable for them as well. As he concluded from his first meeting with her in his quarters, she was definitely not an ordinary woman. There was something about her; fire and passion as he previously thought. She was still a restless and angry caged animal pacing the confines of her revenge and restrained wrath, and now the cage had been opened. With a slight feeling of compassion for her, he silently wished her well though knew she had no real chance to survive such a challenge with his first mate.

The crew continued to cheer and shout as Jewel took a moment to stretch her arms out in front of her, entwining her fingers, then relaxing them by her side. Silently chanting words of self encouragement and taking a deep breath to draw on all her strength and power, she suddenly took a few running steps toward him and made a high leap into the air, spinning her body with outstretched legs striking Hooper square in the face with her boot. The tremendous impact jarred his teeth and knocked him off balance to the side where he lost his footing and promptly fell to the ground. His crew was stunned and immediately gasped at the sight. As he sat there, Jewel moved toward him and stood with her legs bent at the knees and hands positioned in front of her with palms open and rotating slowly.

Dazed, Hooper shook his head and staggered to his feet rubbing his jaw. He was surprised as this was the second time in a few days that he had been knocked to the ground by someone smaller in stature. Still more so embarrassed, he charged at her only to fall on his knees when she leaped aside at the last moment and kicked him hard in the stomach as he went by. While he leaned over with a look of pain on his face, she jumped in the air and came down hard with both fists locked together in a crashing blow to the back of his neck forcing him forward and down to the ground. The men called for him to get up. After a few moments, he rolled his head and slowly rose to his feet once more to face her.

Like a crazed, wounded animal, Hooper ran toward her growling loudly through his teeth, his large arms stretched out wide in his efforts to grab hold of her. As he charged forward, she quickly dropped to the ground in front of him and while on her back took a deep breath and pushed upward hard with her legs catching him full in the groin. His momentum and the strength in her legs flipped him in the air, and he landed on his back a few feet past her head. He finally rolled over and got up on his knees leaning forward on his arms to catch his breath. She stood before him, and when he raised his head to look up at her, she brought her knee up fast and hard under his chin while at the same time slammed down on the back of his neck once more with both fists. The impact would have broken the neck of a smaller man, but Hooper grimaced in pain and slowly slumped to the ground again.

Jewel was careful not to get too close for she knew if he were to grab her, she would not have the strength to break his hold. She took a few quick steps back and waited patiently for him to get up. She had never fought anyone so large and solid before and began to feel a dull ache in her fists from the force of repeatedly hitting his body hard with them. A few men of the crew yelled for Hooper to get up, while others began to boldly call him a weak coward risking harsh condemnation later, perhaps even death. Hawk watched the match stoically from the side, especially Jewel and her skillful movements to bring down the big man. He may have been wrong about her ability to win the contest and knew he would have to reconsider his options should that happen.

Having watched quietly, yet anxiously from the far side as Jewel time after time evaded the clutches of Hooper and so far successfully subdued him, Jack was overwhelmed by all that was happening. He never imagined that the gentle, demur woman he met on the docks of Gilley's Rock would turn out to be a skilled fighter or warrior as he learned from Rafe. He marveled at this woman, her strength and skill, her courage and unwavering determination, her beauty and charm, someone he respected and admired, now fighting for their lives against a goliath of a man. Still he was realistic knowing, even if Jewel defeated Joe Hooper, there were still the crew and Hawk to contend with, and she would not have the element of surprise to combat them.

Visibly hurt and exhausted, Joe slowly rose again as someone tossed him a sword which landed at his feet. Wincing in pain and rubbing his neck, he painfully bent down to take hold of it and straightened up swinging it around. Growling loudly with renewed energy, he charged toward her again. Jewel quickly looked around for a weapon to defend herself, and her eyes suddenly caught sight of the many, tall wooden poles holding up torches. Before Joe could reach her, she dove into a rolling tumble on the ground toward the closest pole and pulled it out of the dirt. Kicking off the torch, she quickly swung it around just in time to slam one end of it hard into Joe's chest knocking the breath out of him and leaving a shallow, red circular mark on his bare skin. Joe stopped but before he could react, she put the other end of the pole on the ground and tightly held onto it with both hands as she swung her legs around to the front of it and slammed hard into his chest with her boots.

Still holding the sword, Joe staggered backward fighting for a breath of air and watched as if in a bewildered daze while Jewel swiftly swung the pole high above her head, then down around her waist and out in front of her, rotating it swiftly from one hand to the other. She daringly moved a few steps closer to him, smiling with taunting, laughing eyes and suddenly in a fast move swung the pole out striking him hard on the side of his head and creating a welt. He raised a hand to protect himself, and while he focused on the pain received from this blow, she immediately moved around him and swung the pole low toward his feet, entangling his legs with the pole and forcing him once again off balance. This time as he began to fall, she swung the pole at his hand and knocked the sword up in the air. Joe hit the hard ground again, and the crew watched with wide-opened mouths as Jewel caught the sword in her hand and stood back from him holding both weapons. With the sword pointed at Joe, she stepped away and quickly glanced at Hawk who gritted his teeth and sneered at her from the side.

Joe sat on the ground with his legs sprawled apart and glared at her with half opened eyes. With his crewmates hissing and yelling at him, he felt humiliated and ashamed before them and the captain. He could not understand what was happening. Time after time the woman had somehow found a way to thwart his efforts, and instead of finally ending this farce with him as the undisputed victor and the woman as spoils of the fray, here he sat beaten and in pain while she stood over him unscathed. Though exhausted and breathing heavily, he was more determined than ever to defeat the woman anyway he could, fair or not, While she took a moment to glance at Jack, Joe slowly reached around to the side of his belt, and before she even turned around to look at him again, he pulled out a knife. With malice in his eyes, he raised it up to throw.

"Jewel, watch out!" Jack yelled as Joe took aim and threw the knife at her. Jack closed his eyes but quickly opened one eye to peek and see what was happening.

Jewel instantly moved the pole out in front of her in time to catch the knife in its flight. The pole caught it dead center and vibrated briefly in her hand. She dropped the sword and after pulling the knife out of the wood and examining it, she shook her head smiling back at her opponent. Shocked and in disbelief that she had foiled his attack again, Joe stared at her with a frustrated and helpless look on his face. Not waiting for him to try something else, Jewel immediately threw the knife back at him, and everyone held their breath as they watched it quickly rotate once and land in the ground between his legs.

The cave became silent except for a few, faint gasping sounds from some of the crew. Even Jack was impressed by her throw and wondered if she meant to do that, for it surely made a point with the big man. Again, Jewel glanced over at Hawk and found him brooding and contemplative. There was nothing he or his crew could do to intercede on Joe's behalf. She had the knowledge of the medallion's power so he was obliged to wait until the end to see if Joe defeated her or not. Still he fumed that his first mate, whose reputation alone made him the most notorious and feared pirate he had ever known, had failed to subdue the young woman. Not only was Joe performing like a helpless buffoon in front of the men, likewise his lack of victory reflected back on him as captain of the mighty Raven.

Joe quickly pulled the knife from the ground and threw it to the side then glared at her while taking in deep breaths. Jewel watched him closely and threw the pole to the side as well. She picked up the sword and began to swing it deftly around from side to side and back over her head to get the feel of it. After a few extended thrusts, she held it out to the side and slowly swung it around to point straight at Joe. In one final gesture, she brought the sword in position just over her right shoulder and held out her other hand in front of her. Several moments lapsed while she waited for Joe to make the next move, yet he remained on the ground until Hawk finally yelled out sarcastically if someone would kindly throw him another sword.

A sword was tossed in Joe's direction, and taking it in his hand, he was soon on his unstable feet moving it back and forth in front of him. Jewel bowed her head and lunged at him, swinging her sword high in the air. The silence in the cavern was broken by the sound of the two swords clashing against each other. Each time Joe swung his sword, Jewel blocked and returned it thrust for thrust. Exhausted and his ego crushed by her relentless assaults, he faltered in his effort and slowly back away from her and her barrage of strikes. He was truly no match for her with the sword as her skilled hands wielded the weapon against him persistently, faster each time. Finally she spun her body and swung her sword swiftly slashing him from the left across his bare abdomen. Though not deep enough to cause serious injury, Joe lost his concentration and glanced down at the long, reddening gash, utterly bewildered as he had never been wounded like this before. Jewel continued her assault and with another fast maneuver slashed him again from the right. Joe watched as the blade painfully sliced along his skin crossing over the previous cut. He raised his sword angrily though not to lunge at her, but to protect himself from further injury. Jewel paused a moment allowing him time to finally attack her offensively, but Jewel struck back hard knocking his sword from his hand. Another fast thrust and she caused him to lose his footing. He tripped on his feet falling backward once again. With his chest heaving to catch his breath and his throat parched from dust in his mouth, he put a hand across his bleeding abdomen and looked up at her with total frustration and pain, knowing he could not rise again.

Winded and breathing heavily, Jewel stood nearby and waited for him to get up, wanting him to get up. She was more than ready to continue the battle with him and held her sword in both hands pointing upward in front of her face as she waited. As she looked at him sitting in the dirt disgraced, she realized he was nothing like his infamous reputation made him out to be, rather more so a disappointment. He was not the warrior or even a worthy opponent as she expected, only a big, clumsy thug handy with a knife for terrifying helpless men and women.

For several, long moments she watched him, but when it became clear he would not continue the fight, she kicked his weapon away. Knowing this was a 'to the death' confrontation, she slowly raised her sword over her head to deliver the final deathblow, but to the amazement of all she suddenly stopped. Everyone waited in anticipation of the kill, knowing the honor was hers for she had truly defeated him in combat. Joe cowered and closed his eyes also awaiting his fate knowing he had lost more than just a fight. He had lost the respect of his men and his captain. Were he to survive, he would never be able to live down the fact that a woman had challenged him and defeated him. He would be an outcast among pirates, a pariah henceforth.

Jewel stared at him for many painful moments. She remembered his triumphant smile as he walked away from Edward as he lay dying on the ground, the pain as his knife sliced through her skin, the evil lust in his cold eyes as he held her down in his attempt to assault her, and the griping fear and tortured anguish of his cruelty and violence. Now Joe sat on the ground before her, vanquished and waiting for her to render his just punishment. In the three long years she had trained for this revenge and this final judgment, she expected this moment to be one of long-awaited elation, but it was not. The sword became heavy in her hands, and she lowered it taking a few steps back. As she continued to look at him, the tenseness in her face softened for she knew in her heart, she could not kill him as long as he was defenseless. For as much as the power of hate and revenge strongly compelled her to end his wretched life then and there, it was against her moral conscious, against all she had been taught about honor, against the law of the Order to which she was sworn and bound. Therefore holding the sword to her side, she finally let it drop down at her feet.

Everyone stared at her in total silence, and the clang of the sword as it hit the hard ground reverberated throughout the cavern. After looking at Hawk and his men, she briefly glanced at Jack then quickly back at Joe who still lay on the ground in humble abeyance. Unexpectedly and to the surprise of all there, including herself, she slowly turned around with her back to Joe and the others and stared at the torch-lit wall of the cavern as shadows from the many flames flickered on it. She closed her eyes at last, and with her hands aching and her body tired from the exertion, she knelt down on one knee next to the sword, resting and breathing deeply. She held the medallion tightly and through its energy, readily regained her strength and composure, all the while waiting and listening sharply with her ears and heart.

Joe wondered why she chose not to complete her victory and deal him the final blow. Thinking this was his last chance to redeem himself, he quietly got up from the ground and painfully moved toward her with his hands extended to clutch her throat. Jack called out to warn her, and as she sensed Joe was near, she opened her eyes and saw his shadow on the cavern wall from the light of the torches behind him. With her heart beating fast and her mind alert and ready for action, she continued to hold her medallion until flickers of light swirled within her eyes as she patiently waited for the opportune moment. As well expected, she did not have to wait long.

Joe approached her quietly and just as his shadow leaned down toward her, she immediately took hold of the sword with both hands. Focusing all her strength in a backward motion, she quickly thrust the blade into him. The blade struck him deep where the previous long cuts she had made into his abdomen crossed, and a faint grunt came forth from his mouth as he grabbed the sword in a desperate effort to dislodge it. Tightly holding the sword still embedded in his body, Jewel gritted her teeth and began to stand up forcing the blade to cut higher into his abdomen. When she sensed he was beginning to weaken, she withdrew the sword and swung it up and all the way around, watching it rip across his throat when she turned to stand face to face with him. With his eyes opened wide in surprise, she raised the sword high in the air then promptly went down on one knee. Glancing once around the cavern, she held the bloodied sword with both hands and plunged it into the ground before her. She then looked up at Joe as he staggered with blood gushing from his mouth and gaping wound. He reached out to her one last time, and as he stared at the flickering lights of her eyes, he groaned once more and fell to the ground dead.

Jewel pulled the sword from the ground and stepped away from his body. After a moment to fully acknowledge what she had done and that Joe was truly dead, she triumphantly flipped the sword high in the air above her head. When it fell back into her hand, she began a show of victory, swinging the sword rapidly behind her back then high over her head and finally from side to side while moving her body in quick turns and positions. Once again, she flung it high in the air and gracefully raised both arms up, then in a circular motion before her face as she bowed her head. Finally, she went down on one knee putting one hand behind her back to catch the falling sword and the other extended out in front. After a short pause and quiet murmurs from the other stunned pirates, Jewel stood and gracefully brought the sword out to her side and encircled it once more above her head. As the victor, she turned to face Hawk holding the weapon extended with both hands and brought it up toward her right shoulder with her other hand still extended and bent at the elbow. For many long moments everyone watched and waited in silence, not knowing what would come next.

Chapter 12

Jack closed his eyes with a deep sigh of relief realizing without a doubt that Jewel was indeed the Dragon Lady. She had defeated and killed Joe Hooper with more skill in her hands and sword than he had ever seen. Joe Hooper, the most vicious pirate in the Caribbean, lay dead at her feet in a pool of his own blood. Jewel had dealt him the same fate he had dealt to so many others in the past, and Jack looked at her with awe and admiration as she stood victorious over his body. She had the medallion and truly had the power. She had won the wager with Hawk, but whether he would honor it was yet to be seen, for Hawk did not like to lose and would probably try to kill them both just the same and keep the medallion.

Hawk and his pirate crew were silent, still reeling from the shock of seeing Joe cut down by a mere woman, dead on the ground with blood still oozing from his body. The man had always been invincible; a man of undeniable power and strength, a goliath among men, yet this woman had challenged him and then surpassed him with such superior skills. Hawk did not quite know what to make of her, but with greater respect than ever, he decided to make her an offer.

"Very well done, m' lady," he said breaking the silence, slowly clapping his hands and smiling his approval. "This certainly was interesting and entertaining as you said. N'er have we seen such excellence and skill in any man, much less a woman. And look! My men are still in shock over what ye've done here. Against all possible odds, ye killed the mighty Joe Hooper. You, my dear, are magnificent, a rare gem among all woman. You are… a woman of superior beauty and talent, of power and strength unmatched by any man. A woman I can respect.

Hawk walked toward her with his hands outstretched in a gesture of approval, friendship and possibly more. Jewel held the sword pointed in his direction, watching him closely as he approached, not trusting in his words or actions. He then stopped to look down at his first mate.

"Hmmph. Sorry Joe. It would seem X does mark the spot," Hawk remarked callously and carefully stepped over his body. Then addressing Jewel, he continued, "I wish to reward you as winner of this…contest. Ye know, I alone can give you anything and everything; gold, silver, precious stones. All of it! Even power! I'll make ye the most powerful woman sailin' the seas! As I told you before, ye have the fire and the passion that I want around me; that I need around me. Ye killed m' first mate. Take his place beside me! Join me and all that you desire in life will be yours! Let me show ye the world, a world the likes ye've never seen with all its riches and wonders. Just say 'yes', and it's all yours fer the takin'."

Jewel stood for a moment in disbelief over what he was offering. He dared to tempt her with riches and power when she was only seeking justice, not even glory. She looked over at Jack. He was a decent man in spite of being a pirate, and she was anxious to be finished with Hawk so that she and Jack could leave the island. But for the moment, she still had business to take care of with Hawk and his crew, so she threw down the sword and responded to his offer.

"Have you forgotten our wager, Captain?" she asked in a serious tone. "Hooper is dead, so you must honor the terms to release Jack and let us go."

"Oh, absolutely not. I've not forgotten the wager," he replied. "But quite frankly, I just don't have to do anything. After all, I am a pirate, and truth be told, missy, Jack should have informed you by now, you should n'er trust a pirate. Ye killed Joe Hooper, m' best man, so now I want you. And have ye I will, for I figure it's kinda like ….a life fer a life."

Jewel was not surprised but had hoped that at least Jack could have gotten away. Still she smiled just the same knowing that now she would have to do things her way, and with Joe out of the way, Hawk and the crew were next. Regretfully, she thought to herself, Jack would just have to stay and watch the finale.

"You are a man without honor, but a life for a life? I'll gladly accept your offer."

"So then, agreed?" he asked impatiently rubbing his hands together with his eyes lit up.

"Not so fast, Captain! First, let's try not to pretend that anything you have to say matters at all," she replied sarcastically. "You were foretold of my coming, and now I'm here. I am Jewel, and I've come with the Dragon to destroy you. You, sir, who wallows in the darkest pit of depravity, justice has now come for you. The Dragon is here, now, in me, and through me his spirit will devour you and all those who follow you, who rape, steal, murder, and plunder. Oh, yes, Captain, you want a life for a life. Agreed! But this time, it's your life and theirs for the life of Edward Davenport!" She reached up to hold the golden medallion in her hand and began to rub the emerald. Speechless, Hawk watched and listened as she spoke. "I promised you the experience of the medallion's power. It will come quickly for you now. Wait and watch for there's nowhere to hide. His glowing eyes will seek you out and know you by your black heart. He'll draw the very life from your body." She leaned at little toward him and whispered. "Still want fire from me, Captain? Oh, I hope so, for you'll soon be consumed by the fires of his mouth, and he will swallow you up and spit you out again! Now, how's that for passion?"

Jewel continued to rub the emerald smiling at Hawk and all the men around him. Stunned by what she said, Hawk suddenly remembered hearing those words before by the boy on the ship before he rescued Jack from the water. He had said something about a dragon, and it puzzled him at the time. Now this woman was also talking about a dragon, and what began as a feeling of confusion and uneasiness had now evolved into that of irritation and anger.

"Just who are ye?" he asked; his eyes now darkened with a hostile look of contempt.

Jewel flashed him a secret smile and closed her eyes, and upon opening them again, small flickers of green light began to swirl at once within them. Remembering what he saw in his quarters, Hawk took a step back and stared at her with confused caution while he anxiously waited for her response.

"We've met before, you and I," she answered in a low voice. "The other day on your ship. Think back, Captain, and remember!"

Hawk narrowed his eyes and did think back but could only shake his head slowly in his futile attempt to recollect such an encounter, for surely he would have remembered her. Not surprised by his inability to recognize her, Jewel held the medallion and continued to rub the emerald with her thumb. She slowly raised her right arm straight out in front of her and with her hand balled up in a fist gently struck her chest twice before extending it out in front of her again. She then lowered her arm and waited with satisfaction as his eyes opened wide with shock and surprise at the sudden revelation that she was the young man who spoke of the dragon and rescued Jack when Joe pushed him overboard.

"The boy! Yes, now I remember," he finally responded with disdain. "A clever disguise indeed. And now that ye've killed Joe Hooper, I suppose ye think ye can kill me and my crew."

Jewel did not answer, yet nodded her head in agreement for he had spoken what she had known all along. Sensing the moment had come and not knowing what would happen to her, she quickly glanced over at Jack for one last look before the power of the emerald took control. Jack had not heard what she said to Hawk but saw the hand signal and also remembered where he had seen it before. Fearing the time of reckoning for all of them was at hand, he took a deep breath and pulled hard on the ropes securing his hands, while anxiously waiting for Hawk to respond. Suddenly Hawk's voice spoke out interrupting his thoughts.

"So, then ye've made your decision?" he asked angrily taking in quick gulps of air. "Fine. But this is mine. Get her, men! Get her now!"

Jewel rubbed the emerald faster and faster whispering chanting words to herself over and over. As the men of the Raven advanced toward her, she stared intently at them, and soon her eyes began to emit a faint, green glow as before. The glow grew stronger as she raised her hand out in front of her and motioned them to stop. They were startled by her glowing eyes and tried to back away from her. Instantly they found themselves unable to move, paralyzed as a strange force held them where they stood, frozen in fear. The men frantically called out to the captain for help, but he too was struck with fear and unable to move. Jack watched from the side and saw her eyes. Even he was fearful of the green glow and great power she was evoking. Jewel finally lowered her hand, but kept chanting and rubbing the eye of the dragon.

"Spirit within me, rise and come forth.

Seek out the evil, who shows no remorse.

Give strength to thy servant, I stand by your side.

Together in judgment, we'll swiftly preside."

Suddenly the emerald eye began to glow, and rays of light shot out in different directions within the cave. The medallion fell from her hand and hung on the chain as Jewel jerked her head up, flinging her arms out to the side and arching her back. Within a few moments, she sunk down to the ground on one knee. With her head bowed, she folded her arms outward and past her head, and a green mist began to swirl around her. Hawk and his men were mesmerized by the spectacle but still could not move. As they continued to watch her, the strange mist spread out and rose high in the air above her where it soon thickened and began to come together to form a shadow. Jewel unfolded her arms and slowly rose to her feet. She stood in a trance and gazed straight ahead at the doomed pirates, her green eyes glowing brightly at them.

The shadow quickly spread out behind her and gradually began to take on the shape of an apparition. Obscure at first, but within moments the shape of a dragon emerged as its head slowly rose up with fiery eyes glowing with the same brilliant, emerald green rays that burst through the mist and spread throughout the cavern. A long, narrow neck with pointed spines along its back supported a long narrow face with fiery nostrils and two large pointed horns and ears. Razor-sharp teeth gnashed together loudly, and a long tongue snaked outward as the beast opened its mouth snarling and hissing, its long tail whipping loudly from side to side and large wings stretching high above its head. Hazy clouds of thick green mist gathered around it and emanated with the slow, deliberate movements of the dragon's dark, translucent form.

The terrified men screamed frantically as the dragon turned its horrific head to and fro, then suddenly looked around and peered through the green haze. Jewel slowly raised her arms out to the side until they were about as high as her shoulders. As they rose, the wings of the dragon rose up in an identical motion. When she turned her head, the dragon turned its head as well, and soon her eyes and those of the dragon glowed even more brighter as the two minds became one with the other.

"By the gods, stop this now!" yelled Hawk terrified at the sight. "Send it away! I'll do anything ye want! Anything!" Finally over the cries of his men, he called out to Jack, "Sparrow, ye must do something! Halt her demon eyes! I'll release you!"

Frozen in fear Jack could not speak, and Hawk's desperate pleas went unnoticed as the dragon spirit opened its mouth, and flames began to form and shoot outward. The pirates fiercely struggled in their effort to escape and run but could not break the invisible bond that held them in their place. They had to endure the fate that awaited them for in a few moments, Jewel began to move her hands slowly up and down on each side. Since she now controlled the dragon, its wings also moved slowly up and down, and when she turned to stare directly at the crew, the dragon turned as well. Suddenly flames shot out from its open mouth toward the men, and like dry kindling, their bodies burned with a heat so intense that within seconds it consumed them. Their anguished screams, which moments ago loudly echoed throughout the cavern, now fell silent, and small piles of white ash lay scattered on the ground where the pirates once stood.

Hawk and Jack watched in absolute horror as the dragon's head rose up toward the roof of the cavern with flames still spewing from its mouth. Jewel's arms finally came together again, and she slowly waved them back and forth in front of her. The action caused the green mist to move outward toward where Hawk was standing and as the mist swirled around him, Jewel slowly raised her hands. Hawk began to rise up from the ground. He struggled to break free from the force that held him firm but was helpless under its power. Finally he screamed as the mist thickened and carried him closer to the dragon's face. He looked over at Jack one last time to swear a final vow.

"Hell's furies have no hold on me! Harken well, Jack Sparrow, for we are not done, you and me. I lay m' oath by fire and fury, I'll be back to collect yer soul! Arrggh!"

Hawk hissed and sneered as he disappeared into the green mist. Jack waited and watched in terror for he saw what happened to Hawk's crew. But Hawk did not have to wait long for when he looked into the eye of the dragon, he saw the dark face of pure evil staring back at him, drawing him closer into the intense, glowing fires of hell. He let out one final scream, and there was silence once more. Gradually the mist began to fade away, and from the dragon's mouth a skull suddenly fell to the ground, followed by two large bones. As the bones hit the dirt near the skull, one bounced up again and landed across the other, and together they eerily formed the symbol of the Jolly Roger.

Within moments Jewel woke from the trance and collapsed on the ground just as flames from the dragon began to scour the walls of the cavern in its cleansing efforts to eradicate all memory and trace of the pirates of the Raven. From one side to the other, the flames moved slowly to where Jack was tied. As it reached the back of the cavern, it ignited the many kegs of gunpowder and rum causing a loud explosion sending smoke, rock, and debris in all directions. The dragon's flames continued to move toward Jack, and he frantically looked for Jewel through the dark smoke and remaining mist. Startled by the explosion, she struggled to get up on her knees then noticed the emerald of the medallion still glowing, allowing the dragon to continue serving its directive. Though weak from the trance, she reached for the knife in her boot.

"Jack, the rope!" she yelled, straining to get a clear view of him through the dark, smoky haze. Jack barely heard her but spread his hands quickly just as he saw Jewel aim the knife and throw it toward him. He closed his eyes tightly and nervously waited, remembering how she had previously missed the barrel and hit the bell on the ship instead. Instantly he heard the sound of the knife as it sliced through the rope between his hands and stuck in the wall above his head. Freed from his bondage, Jack took a deep breath and quickly shielded his head as rocks from the collapsing ceiling began to rain down on them. With the dragon's flames drawing closer, he immediately ran from the spot avoiding large, fallen rocks on the ground. Though fearful of the dragon spirit looming high above her, he hurried over to help her. With a nervous eye on the dreaded specter, Jack pulled Jewel to her feet, and together they raced toward the cave's entrance still dodging debris that lay in their path. Suddenly the cavern imploded behind them.

Though her energy was drained, Jewel held onto his arm as they ran out into the bright sunlight. The glow of the emerald instantly vanished, but not before another huge explosion shook the ground when flames from the fading dragon ignited the remaining kegs of gunpowder and rum. They were still running when the force of the explosion opened up a chasm beneath their feet. Shaken by the movement of the ground, Jack barely managed to keep his balance and avoid falling into the deep pit, however Jewel was not as lucky. As the ground gave way, Jack felt her arm slip away from his, and when he turned around she had disappeared.

Jack immediately dropped to the ground and looked into the dark abyss. Jewel had fallen several feet and was desperately clinging to a small ledge with the little strength she had left. He frantically reached over the edge to get a hold of her, but before he could, she slipped further into the darkness, moments away from certain death. With her strength giving out, he quickly loosened his sash and dropped one end of it into the pit for her to grab. She held it tight with both hands and found at last a small niche to use as a foothold. Jack pulled hard with all his strength and finally dragged her up and over the top. Exhausted they slowly crawled to a safe distance and collapsed in each other's arms with the medallion faintly pulsating between them.

After allowing some time to catch their breath, Jack lifted her face to see if she was all right and started to laugh when he saw all the dirt smudges. Surprised by his laughing, she started laughing too, but her laughter turned to tears as she thought of all that had transpired and that through it all she and Jack had miraculously survived. She tried to hold back her emotions but was soon sobbing deeply in his arms. Not knowing what to do or say, Jack simply held her close and rocked her. He rocked her until all the sobbing was over, until the pain in her heart subsided. She had clawed her way out of depression three years ago and forged herself into a strong, courageous woman. She had focused all her energy, her passion, and her life for this one purpose, and that purpose was now over and behind her, leaving her emotionally and physically drained. She had fulfilled her mission, and for that she was grateful. Still she cried for Edward, for the life she would never have with him. She had avenged him and knew that part of her life would never haunt her again, for all that remained from his memory was finally buried under the ruins of that cave. Hawk and his men would never hurt anyone again, and it was only fitting that the cave also be the burial site of her knife, the one she gave Edward the day he died, the one that saved her from Joe Hooper, and the one that just saved Jack from the fire of the dragon. The knife, which held memories of pain and violence, of heartache and despair, was gone forever. There would be no more reminders of Edward, and now she could walk away and not look back.

Jack too was emotionally and physically exhausted but held Jewel in his arms rocking and comforting her, hoping to draw out the hurt and pain and make her feel secure. Against all odds, she had survived. Still he wanted to help her understand that one day she would feel love and happiness again, for he knew beneath that warrior facade was a beautiful, soft, vulnerable yet strong woman just waiting to come out of her self-imposed sanctuary and join the world again.

After some time had passed, Jewel stopped sobbing but still clung to him, safe in the shelter of his strong arms. He would not release her until he knew she was strong enough and ready to leave the area. As Jack continued to rock her, he looked past her to the place that had once been Hawk's lair. It was now a pile of rocks, debris, and rubble with only buried bones and scattered ashes to show that people had once lived and died there. He had trouble comprehending that Hawk and his crew were suddenly gone and regrettably all the stockpiled rum as well. He sighed at the thought. Still he had questions about what happened but also knew this was not the right time to ask. There would be time for that later. With the Raven still anchored a short distance away, he figured they might as well take her out and try to meet the Pearl half way.

Jack looked down at her while she still clung tightly to him. He gently stroked her hair and noticed that her eyes were closed. He pushed a few strands of hair away from her face, which startled her, and she instinctively struggled to free herself from his arms. Once she realized who he was, she relaxed and put her arms around his neck, clinging to him once more. Nurturing another person was not something Jack felt comfortable with, but with her, it oddly felt like the natural thing to do. After some time she finally looked up at him.

"I'm alright now, Jack… thank you." Her voice slightly trembled.

"Good," Jack replied and began to rub her back. The gentle massage felt good and helped ease the tension in her body. She was soon able to sit up and finally looked around at the pile of rubble left from the explosion of the cave. For what seemed a long time she stared at it trying to comprehend its devastation.

"I don't remember what all happened in there, but I do remember rubbing the medallion, then waking up on the ground with fire and smoke all around. What happened to Hawk and his men?" Surprised that she did not remember the dragon, Jack paused to consider his answer.

"Oh well, uh…let's see now," he responded with a little grin. "You and your big, bad, see-through dragon with its fire and smoke roasted yerselves a nice pile of nasty pirates, and then poor, pitiful Hawk. He finally met his match and in the end learned the true meaning of the skull and crossbones." Jack thoughtfully nodded his head. "Aye, I've been on some… interesting adventures and lived to tell about them, but that… that was terrifying, but you saved me. Ye made that throw with yer knife. Just like when Rafe hit the..." Jack paused to think a moment. "Say, I wanna talk to you about that sometime."

"I know, and I promise I'll tell you everything, but I just can't think about it now." she replied still breathing hard. "Can we please go to the ship? I really need to get away from here and get some rest. I just don't have the energy for anything else." Jack readily agreed and helped her to her feet. As he held her right hand, he suddenly stopped and looked more closely at it.

"Jewel, look!" he cried in amazement.

Jewel looked down at her hand and saw that the scar was gone. She stared in disbelief, desperately rubbing the smooth skin where it once was, then closed her eyes as tears ran down her cheek. She knew the symbol of evil she carried around for three years was also a thing of the past, and with heartfelt emotion she wept again knowing it was the purifying miracle of the medallion. Astonished and in shock as well, Jack put his arm around her to keep her from falling down and held her steady as they slowly passed through the narrow ravine, past the small hills and down to the beach. After helping Jewel into one of the longboats, he quickly rowed back to the ship in silence thinking of all that had happened.

Smoke and dust from the remains of the cave still rose and dissipated in the warm island breeze, while small tremors from somewhere deep underground occasionally shifted the mound of rocks causing them to settle deeper into the crater created beneath them. In a small area deep within the confines of smoldering ash and rock, two human bones lay buried beneath the rubble along side the scorched and smoking skull of William Hawkins. He had met the same fate of most pirates, a quick yet torturous death leaving behind a legacy of evil and crimes against humanity, but he was not destined for eternal damnation just yet, for the demons of hell released his evil spirit into the unknown, a malevolent essence ready to reap vengeance upon the world and Jack Sparrow. Another strong tremor shook the rocks. From the empty eye sockets of the charred pirate skull, a mysterious red light began to glow, and a strange white mist seeped slowly through the debris out into the open air and drifted toward the Raven.

As Jack and Jewel boarded the Raven, three men on the island watched patiently from a nearby sand dune. Knowing their crewmates were dead and so to avoid being left on the island, they quickly ran to the beach risking the chance they might be noticed and took one of the other boats. They quietly rowed out to the Raven, while on board the ship Jack found the guard, Malik, awake and tied up where Jewel had left him. As he went over to talk to the pirate, Jewel leaned against the door of Hawk's quarters to support herself for her body was still weak and exhausted.

"Listen up, mate. Ye know who I am?" Jack asked as he pulled the pirate to his feet. Malik quickly nodded his head.

"Good, now here's the deal." Jack continued with a smirk. "Hawk, Joe Hooper, and all the others are dead. If ye cooperate and follow m' orders, you can stay on the Raven or be put on the island to fend for yerself if ye don't. Either way, mate, I don't care. We're leavin' this wretched island with or without yer sorry arse. So, what d' ye say?"

"I'll follow yer orders, Cap'n," Malik replied as Jack began to untie him.

"Ah, smart choice," Jack responded, then getting right up in his face said, "Now, snap to and cut the bloody anchor! And be quick about it!" Malik stood a moment staring at him. "Stop yer gawkin', sailor! I said now!" Jack ordered with a stern look.

Malik quickly ran to do as he was told. He was shocked to learn of the demise of Hawk and Hooper, but he had heard the loud explosion and wondered what had happened. Yet here was Jack Sparrow taking charge of the Raven, and if Jack Sparrow could defeat them all, then who was he to deny it? He watched as Jack helped Jewel into the captain's quarters and after cutting the anchor went about his business at the helm wondering just how he and the captain would manage such a large ship by themselves.

Jewel lay down in the captain's bunk and closed her eyes. Jack looked around and after finding a cloth near the basin of water, wet it, and gently wiped the smudges from her face. The cool water felt good against her skin, and within moments she was asleep. Though tired himself, Jack gave a sigh and left her to check out the ship he once sailed on. He saw that not much had changed. He glanced at John still tied to the mast but chose to ignore his pleas to be released. He actually enjoyed having the commander where he was and was not ready to have a confrontation with him just yet. Instead Jack decided to first check out the galley. He went down and found it well stocked with food and supplies, wood, water, and especially rum. Jack was satisfied with what he saw for the Raven was a great ship, and to his credit, Hawk had always taken great care of her. As to what would happen to the ship now was anyone's guess. While opening a bottle of rum, he suddenly had a wild impetuous thought.

"I should sail her right into St. John's," he mused to himself after a good swallow, "and offer her to the British commander as a gesture of good faith. Might even get a pricey reward."

Jack had his Black Pearl, and though she was not as big or fancy a ship as the Raven, he would have no other. He took a few more swigs and leaving the bottle behind went to find Malik to ensure he had cut the anchor loose. Following that he helped him unfurl the sails. Soon they were off as the sun shone high in the sky and the wind caught the sails. Malik took the helm while Jack marked the bearings to Antigua. Finally he went over to check on John who had watched Jack and Jewel come back to the Raven alone and overheard Jack telling Malik about the demise of Hawk and his men. After Jack untied him, John rubbed his wrists with annoyance.

"Well it's about bloody time and just when I was beginning to think I was a permanent fixture on this mast!" Jack raised an eyebrow at his outburst. "So, what happened out there, Sparrow?" he inquired with great curiosity. "How did you escape from Hawkins?" Jack just smiled at him and started to walk away but then stopped and turned around to answer him.

"By no manner o' means should ye ever underestimate the sparrow against a hawk when he has the power of a dragon by his side." John stared at him with a confused look.

"Wh... what the blazes does that mean?" he asked, suddenly annoyed by the captain's evasive answer and demeanor.

"Oh, tis no matter fer your concern as ye haven't the mind fer it," Jack sighed and smiled once more as he headed toward the captain's cabin. Presently he stopped again and without turning around called out to the commander behind him. "Oh, Commander, I kinda had a rough morning, and I'm feelin' rather tired. Be a good chap now, and I'll let ye be in charge while I go lie down fer a spell." He then waved his hand in the air.

"You'll… let me! See here, Sparrow!" John quickly shouted clearly insulted by Jack's demeaning remark. "This is not your ship! Aside from this one pirate, you have no crew and therefore have no power over me. And may I remind you, Captain, this is a pirate ship wanted by the British Royal Navy, as well as yourself, I might add. As an officer of that Navy, I am assuming full command of her as of now!"

Jack rolled his weary eyes and spun around to face him. With an impish wide grin, he swaggered over to the fuming young officer.

"Well, Commander, I was hopin' it wouldn't come to this, but since this is a pirate ship," Jack replied pointing up to the pirate banner, "it be only right that we adhere to the pirate code."

"And what exactly would that be?" John asked narrowing his eyes with whimsical curiosity. Jack casually glanced at Malik who with a knowing smirk casually nodded his head.

"The code? Why, 'tis a set of rules, as it were, that all pirates follow," Jack explained then thought a moment, "or at least most good pirates follow. In any case, we fight to see who's captain. Savvy?"

Eager to put the captain in his place and preferably in irons, John agreed to the terms. Jack called for Malik to bring them some swords, and as the two adversaries prepared for the duel the pirate quickly returned from the lower deck with several from which they could choose. Sorting through the limited selection of swords available, Jack and John each chose their weapon and faced off. Closely eyeing each other, they warily spread out on the deck allowing themselves enough room to maneuver.

"To the death?" asked John swinging the sword back and forth in front of him in his attempt to get a feel for the weapon.

"Well then, mate, other than Malik here, who would I have left to be captain over, eh?" Jack mocked him with another big grin.

John gave him a disparaging look, and they soon crossed swords circling around the deck each waiting for the other to take the offensive. With a big yawn and not wanting to wait any longer, Jack took the first swing and the fight was underway. As they parried back and forth, each man took his turn lunging forward and clashing metal against metal.

"Ye're doing well, Commander," Jack said as he moved around the main mast to avoid a hit, "I hope ye're still around fer the finish."

"You impertinent scoundrel," responded John with a smirk as he chased the captain around the deck. "Not only will I still be here for the finish, but you'll be following my orders."

"Not hardly, m' good man," Jack retorted as he thrust back and drove John up against the side of the ship. John pushed him away and maneuvered himself back to the middle of the ship where the two men parried around the mizzenmast. "Ye have excellent form, Commander," Jack further commented, "a trifle stiff perhaps, but not bad really. However, I've one small suggestion you should probably consider immediately."

"And what is that?" the commander asked with labored breath as he and Jack continued to swing and parry with each other, their swords clashing loudly back and forth.

"What I tell all my opponents," Jack answered confidently though a bit winded and drained from the running around. "Surrender!"

"Ha, you would do anything to look good in front of Julianne, now wouldn't you, Captain?" John responded advancing on him.

"Actually, I don't have to do anything to look good in front of Ju-li-anne," Jack replied sarcastically, fighting back with renewed vigor and forcing the commander back a few steps. "You, my dear fellow, make me look good… all by yer little lonesome." John responded to his remark with a scowl and lunged again.

The fighting carried on, and soon the clanging sound of striking swords and conversation woke Jewel. Confused as to what was happening, she carefully eased out of the captain's bunk and slowly walked over to the door. Opening it just a little, she saw the two stubborn men dueling and chasing each other around the deck like small children playing a game of chase with each other. She closed her eyes and let out a small sigh of exasperation but then suddenly heard whispers from around the side of the cabin. Deciding it best to stay behind the door, she waited to see who else could possibly be on board the ship.

Tired though determined not to be outdone, Jack and John continued to keep each other at bay, circling and baiting each other with mild insults and weary attempts to endure until one of them finally gave out. They had both proved to be worthy opponents and would probably have called it a draw when suddenly John stopped and let his sword drop slowly to his side. Surprised by the commander's abrupt change in behavior, Jack noticed his eyes were distracted as they stared at something behind him. Before he could even turn to see what it was, Jack heard a familiar voice.

"Why, Jack Sparrow's like a bloody cat with nine lives and all. One cain't hardly kill the ol' rascal. Seems to always land on 'is feet. But now, he ain' tryin' to steal the Raven from us, is he, mates? Nay, devil doubt it. He'd n'er do that." Jack quickly recognized the voice and from the corner of his eye saw Malik smiling.

"Sly Dog McGee, still alive?" Jack asked and as he slowly turned around saw three more pirates from the Raven facing him with menacing sneers.

"Always," the pirate scoffed. "and yet how bloody lucky fer us that ol' Hawk sent us out to scout the area and keep watch while all them others went in the cave includin' yerself," He took out his knife to carefully pick at his nails, then tossed it back and forth in his hands in a threatening manner. "Seems you were lucky as well."

"Aye, lucky indeed, Sly, and now we're all together again, just like ol' times," Jack replied, cautiously watching Sly and his companions. "And you, Harper and Rizzo. What d' ye say now? We have the Raven. No ship more powerful on the open seas. We'll get us a crew, and I'll give you all equal shares of any treasure. Tis a new beginning, mates. Just think of the possibilities! And since ye're already here, will ye now sail under my command?"

"And what about the woman?" Malik asked as he moved toward the others.

"Aye, Sparrow, what about her?" Harper smirked.

"Nary a problem, mates. Just a minor inconvenience." Jack answered smiling at the four men. "Still, she'll bring us a right generous ransom just as before."

The pirates nodded their heads and looked at each other with shrewd and subtle grins.

"See here, Sparrow! What are you saying?" cried John still a bit shaken by the presence of the three pirates and alarmed by what Jack had said.

"Hold yer tongue or lose it, ye whimperin' scag!" Jack yelled and quickly turned around to look at him. He furrowed his brow and winked, hoping the commander would understand he was just trying hard to haggle with the brigands. "I've no cause to keep ye alive, but at least the woman has value." John finally acknowledged the message and feigning shock, backed away to stand by the side of the ship, while Jack resumed his negotiation with the others.

"We agree to go fer the ransom, Sparrow, but just not under yer command," interrupted Sly with a daring glare. "We'll follow the code and let the best man be cap'n of the Raven. Swords, and to the death. What say ye, men?"

"Oh bother, not again!" Jack murmured with an exhausted sigh. He was disinclined to fight yet another sword duel, yet the other pirates smiled and nodded their heads. Under the code, Jack had no other choice but to accept Sly's challenge and fight him for command of the Raven. He knew if he did not, he and the commander had little chance of getting out alive. He glanced over at Hawk's cabin and thought of Jewel. He would protect her as best he could so without further thought, he reluctantly nodded his head in agreement.

Sly put his knife back in his pocket while Rizzo and Harper picked up the swords scattered around the deck including the one from John. They let the swords drop near Jack's feet then waited as he and Sly made their selection. Afterward they kicked the remaining swords to the side. Malik went back to the helm, and the two men faced each other. Jack quickly glanced around to see where the other men were, and slowly he and his opponent paced in a circle.

"To the death, Sparrow," reminded Sly Dog and pointed his sword at John, "And his too, if ye lose."

"Agreed, mate," Jack acknowledged confidently and took the first lunge.

Jewel had been listening from behind the door and opened it a little to see Jack engaged in yet another sword fight, this time with the pirate called Sly Dog. Shocked to see more pirates and still feeling a little weak, she leaned against the wall and tried to think of a way to help Jack. She had to find another way to get out of the room without being seen. The door was in plain view of the men, and she certainly did not want to cause a distraction possibly risking the lives of Jack and John. Peeking carefully out the door once again, she watched as the two men moved quickly around the deck clashing metal against metal, matching thrust for thrust. Other than the earlier quick glance she had of Jack and the commander, she had not seen Jack fight with swords before but was nonetheless impressed by his style and technique.

After closing the door slowly, Jewel looked around the room and saw the open rear windows. She looked out but found it impossible to climb to the upper deck, then remembered Malik would also be at the helm right above her. She looked for another way out and noticed the open gunports in the corners off the port and starboard side of the room. She leaned over one cannon and saw she could squeeze through the opening and step onto a narrow ledge supporting the shrouds. Though risky, she decided to take a chance and maneuvered herself to the outer side of the ship then climbed the short distance up the shrouds. She waited until no one was looking before slipping over the side and hid behind a barrel to catch her breath and stay out of sight.

Jack took the offensive and forced Sly back against the main mast of the ship where the pirate soon lost his balance. As he regained his posture, his knife fell out of his pocket and was kicked toward the back of the ship in the scuffle. Anxious to help their friend, Harper and Rizzo slowly moved to where the other swords were, and when Jack was not looking each picked up a sword to go against him. Jack heard the sound of movement behind him and quickly turned in time to see John, who had also picked up a sword, block a thrust from the sword of Harper. He did not however see Rizzo on the other side, but as Rizzo tried to run his sword through him from behind, Jack sensed the attack and quickly jumped away from the lunge giving Sly a few moments to steady himself and resume the fight.

While John fought with Harper, the others forced Jack back to the stern of the ship until he was at the steps leading to the upper deck. Needing more room to maneuver, he turned and ran up the steps toward the helm followed by the two men. Once on top he slashed back and forth against them and barely missed falling down when Malik stuck out his foot to trip him. Pushing them back a few steps, he quickly cut a rope tied down from the upper mast, swung down to the main deck, and stood near the captain's cabin. John fought well against Harper but was soon distracted by Jack's actions. When he paused to look in the captain's direction, Harper thrust his sword deep into the soft flesh of the commander's shoulder. John fell back against the side of the ship grabbing the wound as Harper turned to look for his mates. He saw Rizzo and Sly scurry down the steps after Jack and went over to join them.

John lay in pain by the ship's side and though winded by his efforts, Jack stood alone facing his bloodthirsty opponents. Having waited long enough and with her strength restored by the power of the medallion, Jewel slowly stepped forward from where she was hiding and moved toward the captain. She saw Sly's knife lying near the side of the ship and picked it up. Now finally armed with a weapon, though a small one at that, she came to stand next to him. When Jack turned to look at her, she smiled and showed him the knife. He was surprised to see her up and about and shook his head, chuckling as he caught his breath, all the while holding the sword to fend off any potential attack from the others.

"What took ye so long?" he murmured.

"Just wanted to see the great Captain Jack Sparrow in action," she purred. "Not bad for an old man."

"Not bad? Woman, just how d' ye think I survived this long?" he joked and watched the cutthroats carefully as they slowly advanced forward.

"Oh, by your wits and charm, I'm sure."

"Bloody right!" he agreed and yelled over to the intruders, "Steady there, mates, ye best hold up now! See here, ye woke the lady, and she don't care much fer rude company. Make no mistake… it'll be worse fer you now. I suggest ye leave the ship just as ye came."

Sly and his comrades walked slowly toward them and laughed at Jack's suggestion.

"What talk of daftness is this, Sparrow?" asked Sly. "The Brit couldn't help ye, so now ye think the woman can? Mate, ye must be desperate! And what's she gonna do with m' knife? Trim 'er nails?" He gave her a wide grin and poked Rizzo in his side.

"Laugh as ye will, ye mangy maggots," laughed Jack. "Remember, ye weren't in the cave when Hawk and the others met this lovely lady. I won't spoil the surprise in store for ye, but hear me now! Don't make her mad! She just might return that knife to ye a lot quicker than ye think." The men stopped and spread out a little.

"Hey, the woman's only good fer one thing," Sly responded with a salacious grin, "and I aims to prove it. That is, of course, after I take away that shiny piece of swag hangin' 'round her neck." Taking offense to his remark, Jewel narrowed her eyes and glared at him.

"And I… aims to prove you won't, savvy?" she called out to the pirate mimicking his words while twirling the blade through her fingers. Jack watched her with a raised eyebrow.

"Show off!" he jokingly remarked with a smirk.

Jewel acknowledged him with a grin then raising the knife took a quick step toward Sly. Before he could react fast enough, she threw it at him. With a sudden gulp, his eyes widened in fear as the knife rotated swiftly, piercing the air and finally struck him hard in the groin with the blunt end of the handle. He screamed in pain and immediately doubled over crumpling to the deck. While his mates watched in shock, Jewel casually walked over to check out his condition.

"Ewww," Jack muttered to himself and grimaced as he watched Sly writhe on the deck in pain. Even John, who had labored to sit up, was quite surprised and more so impressed by her handling of the knife and wondered where she learned to do that.

"You'll live," she said with satisfaction looking down at the moaning pirate. "Tis the folly of men to think a woman can't defend herself in the face of danger. But for your efforts, I guess you won't be proving what a woman's good for, at least for a while, eh Mr. uh… Dog."

Not able to respond, Sly lay on the deck looking up at her and gritting his teeth. Jewel picked up the knife and threw it backwards over her head toward the upper deck where it stuck in the wooden center of the helm. Malik gasped and jumped back in alarm as Jewel confidently turned toward the other two men with her arms held out and a daring smile on her face.

"How about you boys? Care to take me on? Your captain and crew are dead. Two more won't matter to me."

Harper and Rizzo looked at each other and nervously stepped back waving their swords in front of her in a threatening manner. Amused by their gesture, Jewel casually picked up Sly's sword, walked out toward the center of the deck, and turned to face them. In view of all, she held the sword out in front of her on the open palms of her hands. After bowing her head slightly and looking up at the two pirates again, she immediately flipped the sword high in the air. It rotated twice and fell back into her hand where she began to wield the sword gracefully through the air, alternating it from one hand to the other. She then spun her body into a high, flying split while rotating the sword out and over her head. Landing softly and quickly maneuvering into a very low crouch, she moved her body slowly from side to side with sword and hands curved gracefully above her head. She finally rose again to a standing position and with her left hand outstretched in front of her, held the sword up over her right shoulder aimed at the two pirates. Harper and Rizzo looked at each other again and knowing they were out-matched, quickly threw down their swords as Jewel continued to cautiously point her sword at them.

"Kick them swords over here, ye swabs!" Jack ordered as he swaggered over to where Sly lay, "and check on yer crewmate."

The pirates had no choice but to do as they were told. While Jack took over the situation, Jewel ran to find some kind of cloth to wet and apply to John's bleeding wound. Though still in a lot of pain, Sly was soon helped to his feet, and the three men were ordered off the ship. They loudly protested, but Jack stood firm by his decision and his sword allowing them to take the last remaining longboat and a little food and water.

"Sorry, mates. By my reckoning I gave you all the chance to sail under my command," he retorted, "but ye declined that offer readily enough and wanted Sly as captain instead. I honored his challenge, and… give me leave t' say, you all lost sure and certain."

"You didn't beat us, Sparrow… she did," Sly complained while still doubled over.

"I'll give ye that, but she bein' the one who killed Joe Hooper and the others, ye're lucky she left ye yer manhood when she could've slit yer bowels and taken yer head. Still, all told and seein' she's with me, I'll be givin' the orders." Jack grinned and motioned them off the ship. "Now then Sly, as it chances, you can still be captain… of this here boat. Only the Raven… is mine."

Angry but unable to change matters, the men took their meager supplies and boarded the longboat. Finally giving it a push with his boot, Jack watched it quickly drift away from the ship.

"Farewell, Captain," Jack yelled out to Sly amid their curses and gestures and with a vindicated look of satisfaction on his face, Jack raised his hand and mockingly saluted him.

Chapter 13

While Jack waited to ensure Sly and his friends were well away from the ship and out of sight, Jewel helped John down to the first mate's cabin where he lay down in the bunk. His wound was not serious, and she was able to stop the bleeding and apply a clean cloth to it. She made him comfortable and stayed a few minutes until he finally fell asleep. When she quietly left him, she returned to Hawk's cabin where alone and able to relax at last, she went over to the basin of cool water and looked at herself in the mirror. She remembered Jack cleaning her face a little when they first got back on the ship and was grateful for his thoughtfulness, yet she still yearned for a bath and the feel of clean clothes.

Putting that thought aside for the moment, she washed her hands and removed her dirty shirt. Her hands and arms were sore from her earlier fight with Joe Hooper and her struggle to get out of the abyss. She felt a weakness in them when she handled the sword before Sly and his mates and was grateful she did not have to fight them. As she probed her arm, she noticed a slight bruise had already begun to form and was certain more were to follow. She chuckled to herself hoping she would not have to give her father a reason as to why she had bruises on her body. Turning her attention back to cleansing herself, she washed her face, arms and neck and was pleased that a good supply of soap was kept on board. After drying off she went to Hawk's closet and selected another shirt to put on and once dressed, found the comb and fixed her hair again with the ribbon, allowing it to hang down on her shoulders.

Confident that she now looked a little more presentable, Jewel left the room and went up to the upper deck where she leaned over the stern of the ship to look out over the water. Malik was at the helm and occasionally glanced over at her whenever she moved about the deck, gazing covetously at the medallion she wore. This time when he looked at her, he took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. His body trembled and when he opened his eyes again, he smiled and began to hum a familiar tune before turning away from her. Jewel heard him and recognized the tune as the same one she heard Hawk hum one time before. She was surprised by the coincidence and suddenly felt the presence of malice alerting her senses of danger. Not sure what it meant she cautiously walked over to him convinced it was the medallion that captured his greedy attention.

"Don't let greed sway your purpose, sir," she warned him. "It belongs to me and me alone, and any thoughts you have of possessing it are useless. You know you can't win against me. I have the power, and I'm not afraid to use it." She reached around to the front of the wheel for the imbedded knife and pulled it out, holding it confidently to show she did not fear him.

"I like fire and passion in a woman," he replied smiling at her.

Jewel's eyes widened with surprise. She stared at him for a moment unable to speak but quickly left him to return to the main deck. Had she heard him correctly, she wondered, for she remembered Hawk saying those very words. She knew something was not right, and a feeling of foreboding grew strong within her. She certainly did not trust him, but Jack needed him to serve the ship, so she would just have to watch him carefully and bide her time until they met up with the Black Pearl. When she turned to look at him once more, he was still smiling at her.

Bothered by Malik's behavior and her instinctive feeling of danger surrounding him, Jewel slowly walked to the bow of the ship and threw the knife overboard, then closed her eyes as the wind whipped up her hair from behind and blew some of it in her face. She was still tired from the previous few hours and tried to calm her feelings of apprehension. The sunlight felt warm on her face, and for the first time in years she looked to the future with a clear sense of relief and freedom and with joyous thoughts of being alive and going home. She missed her parents remembering how much they loved her and worried that news of her abduction would devastate them especially after all they had been through because of her these last three years.

Jewel touched her medallion as it still hung around her neck and thought again about Malik's apparent interest in it. Not wanting to risk further temptation, she removed it. She held it in her hand and admired it for it was certainly the most beautiful treasure she had ever seen or owned. She also knew it was dangerous and not something to casually be wearing. Running her fingers over the smooth, shiny surface once more, Jewel felt the energy of its power surge slightly through her fingertips. Though she knew the power of the medallion belonged only to her and those who knew the sacred chants, the sheer beauty and value of it was enough to make it a sure target for thieves and other unsavory sorts. Still she was proud of owning it and even more so of what she had accomplished with it. She tearfully smiled at the memory of her victory and giving a little sigh, carefully put the medallion back in her leather pouch.

Jewel closed her eyes taking in the smells of the ship and the sea and thought again about her parents. They did not know she had actually arrived a week ago in St. John's. She had decided at the time not to make her presence known since she had to leave and accomplish her mission. When no one was looking, she changed her clothes and disguised herself as Rafe. She found a secluded place to hide her belongings behind some bushes near the docks and there found a small fishing boat, the same one that eventually led her to Jack and the Black Pearl. Jewel thought about the captain and their short time together both as Rafe and as Jewel, and was happy he had come into her life.

"Jack," she said softly to herself.

"I'm here," whispered a voice close to her ear.

Jewel was startled by his presence but quietly relaxed when she felt his hand touch her on the shoulder. She wondered if she should say anything about her foreboding feelings regarding Malik, but when she looked at him, she decided not to burden him with further complications. Jack seemed strangely serene and with good reason. Save for Malik, Hawk and his men were gone, and they were safe and on their way to meet the Black Pearl. He was anxious to be back with his men, yet he still had the British soldiers and Riggs to take to St Johns. This he would do at any cost. Then there was Jewel. He had promised to get her home safely, and that was a promise he could now easily keep. All was well, he decided, and he could finally get some rest.

"The Pearl should be arrivin' in St. John's in the mornin," he reminded her. "It won't be long before you're back home with yer family."

"I'm not even sure I know how to live that safe and secure life anymore," she replied as she turned her face a little to look at the water. "I've been in a different world for three years now and not exactly doing the kind of things a woman should be doing. What man is going to want a woman who's more suited to being a pirate than a wife and mother? I guess I could always be a cook in a tavern, like you said, and dare anyone not to like my cooking." Jack grinned and pictured her in the middle of a bar brawl throwing bottles of rum and food at rowdy customers. He forced himself to look serious as she continued. "Seeking justice for Edward has altered my life. I have killed, Jack. I have their blood on my hands."

Jack sensed her guilt yet knew her actions were justified.

"You killed defending our lives and the lives of others. They killed for simple pleasure. Not quite the same."

Jewel nodded in agreement, and Jack turned her around to face him putting both hands on her shoulders and looking into her eyes.

"Ye must put all this behind you. Ye're free now. You can do anything ye wanna do," he said seriously. "Yer life is yer own now with so many possibilities. Sure, ye can live with yer parents, or go back to England, or live on another island here or..." He paused and wondered if he should continue.

"Or what?" she asked looking at him inquisitively.

"Well," he hesitated and looked out over the water. "Nah, 'twas a rather wild thought and could n'er have worked out."

"Please tell me anyway."

"Uh, well, I had a notion that ye could…" he started to snicker, "stay on the Pearl." He saw the startled look in her eyes, then quickly added, "And be our cook, of course."

Surprised and a little shocked at what he said, Jewel stared at him. Feeling too awkward to face her, he avoided her eyes and looked down at the deck waiting for her response. When he could not wait any longer, he smiled and finally looked up. Jewel looked into his dark eyes and reached up to run her fingertips softly along his lips remembering their kiss in the cave.

"What do you mean… stay on the Pearl?" she quietly asked. "Ride the high seas with you on the Black Pearl… as the cook, of course, while you surprise and attack other ships for their booty. Then I suppose I could wait and hope that maybe, just maybe you and the others wouldn't get killed in action or caught and hung." She slowly shook her head. "I may seem hard and tough, Jack, but I still have a woman's heart. Do you think I don't care what happens to you?"

Jack saw tears form in her eyes, the same eyes that had only several hours ago helped to vanquish the notorious Hawk and his men. Now, however, they were hurting and vulnerable. He had not meant to hurt her feelings and was confused by her reaction and lack of appreciation since he was going against the code by even suggesting life on board the ship to a woman. Still he tried to ease her concern.

"Jewel, take a deep breath and look around you. This is what I have to offer," he replied taking a deep breath himself. "Freedom. Freedom to be yer own person, to see the world and its wonders, and also to be with… me." Jack cleared his throat and was surprised by his own offer.

Jewel did as he said and took a deep breath. She remembered how she felt watching the sunset with him last evening, and even though so much had happened since then, she still felt the same way about him. But now that she had survived the confrontation of Hawk and his men, she had to look at her future more realistically.

"Yes, Jack," she replied, "I understand you all too well. It is a good life ... for you and your men, to be free as the wind and sail the seas, never being tied down. I wish I could be like that, but I'm a woman, and I need different things; security, a husband, home, a place to put down roots. I want to have children one day and give them the love and care my parents gave me. I hardly think I could have those things on the Pearl. Besides, it's bad luck to have a woman on board a ship, remember?" Jewel sadly began to move away from him as a tear rolled down her cheek. "I will miss you, Captain," she whispered lowering her eyes and turning to walk away.

Jack frowned and watched her leave but did not try to stop her. He felt bad, but what she said was right, and he knew it. He turned to look at the sea once again and soon began to realize the pain of emptiness that was slowly burning in his heart. This is what Rafe meant when he told him about filling the void in his heart with feelings and not being afraid to need and want that special person, that he would meet the one woman who would accept him; she, who was of the soil, trees, rocks, and streams. At first, Jack did not understand it then suddenly remembered that she had also said that to him in the cave. There she had told him, she was the one. She knew it then, and now he was able to admit it. Jewel was the one, but had he now lost her, he wondered.

Jack felt caught up in the turmoil of his feelings. She told him what her needs were, but he also had needs. He needed his ship, his Pearl, and all the advantages that came with it; the command and respect of his crew, the freedom to live by his own rules, the risk and challenge of the chase, the adventure, the gold and treasure, the power of reputation and the mystique of legend. He also needed the feel of the helm, the wind and spray on his face, and the lure of the distant horizon. These were the things he valued, and as he thought about them, he realized the one thing that tied them all together, that made all the other things possible. The one thing he needed the most was... the sea.

Jewel went down to the galley to take inventory of what food there was for the evening meal. She was saddened by her conversation with Jack knowing their time together was almost over and still had a few tears to wipe away. She wanted the remaining time to be pleasant and memorable and decided nothing made a moment more memorable for a man than a good meal. She looked around and was pleasantly surprised to see a well-stocked pantry with potatoes, salted beef, and flour. She took several items out to begin cooking and was soon surprised to hear some faint flapping sounds coming from inside a small cabinet. When she opened the door, she saw two chickens nesting in a small pile of hay.

"Well, just look at that! We'll certainly eat hearty tonight, if nothing else," she thought to herself and putting aside her somber feelings, went up to the main deck to talk to Malik.

Jack soon walked over, and she asked him to take the helm as she needed Malik to help her in the galley. Jack had not taken the wheel of the Raven in many years, and it felt good to have that control again. Running his hands over the wood, he thought of the Pearl and his crew and smiled knowing tomorrow, if all went well, he would once again take possession of his own ship. After a short time, Malik came back up to take over once again, and as he came closer he brushed off feathers from his shirt. With John resting below deck, Jack mulled around for a while checking the sails and thinking about Jewel and how he had upset her. He picked up the scattered swords left on deck setting them to the side and decided to look for her in the galley, however when he got there, she shooed him away and told him to go back to the captain's cabin and get some rest. She was making the meal and did not want anyone in her way.

"Say, who's giving the orders around here, me or you?" he asked and quickly ran up the stairs when she came after him waving a pot.

Relieved that she was feeling better, Jack went to Hawk's quarters where he started to rummage through the dead man's personal belongings. Among the usual maps and such he found a loaded pistol, a scope, a gold timepiece, and a small bag of gold coins. Putting the gold and the timepiece in his pocket as payment for the inconvenience of his incarceration, he also found many articles of clothing, boots, belts, and hats. One drawer even held soap, washing cloths and linens, while another held a few combs, a looking glass, and some picks to clean teeth. Jack decided to use this time to recheck the maps since Jewel was busy preparing food. He had just started to look at them when he heard her at the door. He opened it and was surprised to find her holding a large pot of water.

"I thought you might want to wash up with some clean, warm water," she said as she carried the pot over to the table. She carefully poured some of the water into a basin and put the pot down on the side. She next looked for a cloth for him to dry off with and after finding one, folded it neatly and set it by the water.

"Thanks fer… heatin' it up," Jack replied as he watched her and smiled at her efforts to be helpful and domesticated. Jewel smiled in return and left him to go back down to the galley. Jack took a long look at the steaming water and reluctantly stuck his fingers in it. Glancing back at the door to ensure he was alone, he swished them around a few times then took them out.

"Crazy woman. She must've forgot I took a bloody bath just yesterday," he mumbled to himself. "But of course that was before the brig, and the cave, and the sinkhole, and the swordfights." He casually looked toward the door again and shook his head grumbling. "The first time we meet, and she has me takin' a bath. What's with her and washin' up all the time anyhow? Don't she know a man has to be a man…smell and all?"

He sniffed himself and made a face, then looked down at his clothes. They were dusty and dirty from the cave explosion and lying on the ground, but nevertheless just the way he liked it. But for her sake he decided he would rinse them out. After taking them off, he looked for something to wear from Hawk's closet.

"Well, well... lookee here. A wardrobe fit fer a king," Jack murmured as he sifted through the fine assortment of clothes shaking his head. He then paused when he got to the dresses. "Or a… queen," he added and took out a few of the dresses, holding them against his body one at a time. In a mirror on the inside of the closet door, he looked at each one and turned from side to side with a proud and haughty grin. "Who wore all these?" he said aloud. "T'would seem, Hawk, ye either entertained women on board, or just maybe ye had secret hankerin's of yer own." He continued to sift through the wardrobe then stopped. "Oh, yes indeed!" He took out a red dress and held it against him. "Still, it ain't right, me being a sea captain with no dresses in my closet."

Jack put them back and finally found something manly he could wear. Once dressed, he took his own dirty clothes and soaked them in the warm water one piece at a time. When they were ready, he took them out to the main deck and carefully hung them over the side of the ship to dry in the afternoon heat.

"Sufferin' sea serpents!" Jack's eyes widened while looking at his dripping wet clothes. "Where in Satan's name's m' mind?" he mumbled to himself. "Pirates don't give a toad's eye 'bout women's dresses or clean clothes." He looked around to see who might be watching. "Luck 'ave it Gibbs and the men aren't around t' see this. What next, combin' out m' hair?" He shuddered at the thought and feeling the need for some real male company, walked over to speak with Malik.

Jewel already began to prepare the meal and when it was ready to serve, set out the bowls. She first prepared one for Malik and took it up to him at the helm. Jack was still with him when she noticed his wet clothes hanging over the side. Smiling to herself, she thought how domesticated he was becoming, and that he just might find a way to run a comb through his hair. She happily turned to go back to the galley, and Jack soon followed enticed by the delicious aroma of her food. He sat at the table and was surprised to see all the hard work she had done to prepare this meal for them.

"Why 'ave ye done all this?" he asked while looking down at all the food.

"It's just a simple meal," she explained, "but since this is our last night together, I just wanted it to be special for all of us. You know, something you'll remember me by. Besides, Jack, it might be a long while before you're able to get another good meal, and I know you must be hungry." Jack nodded in agreement, and she sat down across the table from him and watched as he began to eat.

"Mmmmm, blessed by the gods, this is good," he said as he savored the flavor of the herbed chicken. "Ye really did work in a kitchen, didn't ye?"

Nodding her head, Jewel smiled and was happy the food pleased him.

"That I did," she answered proudly, "Oh, and I checked on John. He's still sleeping, so I left him alone. He can eat later when he wakes up."

"Mmmmm," he said again while swallowing another tasty morsel, "So, ye think I won't see ye after tomorrow?"

"I think probably not," she said sadly, "but now I want to be honest and tell you a story about a girl and her dragon. I owe you that much."

"Ye mean about the medallion and how ye became the Dragon Lady? Alright, but how 'bout you talk and I'll eat."

Jack continued to eat and enjoy his meal, not realizing before just how hungry all the day's strenuous activity had made him but more so just how good the food was. Jewel watched as he ate and was glad she could do this one thing for him. She had strong feelings for him and knew she would have to start letting them go. The first step would be to tell him everything, so she began to talk about herself, her family and home, about Edward and the events of his death, how she left her home in Savannah to travel to India and from there to the Buddhist monastery seeking spiritual and emotional healing. She told him of her years there working in the kitchen and finally watching the new warriors and their training sessions. Jack listened with great interest when she described how she trained day after day after her chores were done learning the skills and discipline taught by the masters. She worked hard to perfect herself and was eventually granted special permission to take the ancient tests and to attend the ancient rituals, learning the chants in order to use the power of the dragon.

Everything she did after leaving the monastery was for the sole purpose of purging the evil presence in this area by seeking justice for Edward's death. She next explained about the need to disguise herself as Rafe and lie to him, using him as a pawn in her overall plot to get captured by Hawk. When she had finished with her story, she anxiously waited for him to respond. Jack seemed shocked and tried to understand all she had said. He finally laid his knife and spoon on the table giving her a stern look, his mouth swallowing hard the remains of his food. Jewel saw his response and tried to further defend her actions.

"If you remember, I told you in the cave I didn't mean to hurt you or deceive you. I never expected to get that close to you as Rafe, rather… as a man. It wasn't easy for me either; not able to tell you I was a woman at first, not able to be myself. But that's the only way my plan could've worked or at least, that's what I thought. I'm sorry, Jack, but I felt I had no other way."

Jewel continued to wait for a response from him, yet Jack remained calm and looked away from her for a few silent moments. He finally wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt giving her a serious yet forgiving look. She was expecting him to be angry and actually wanted him to be so he could eventually forgive her, but he was not and that made her angry with him. Frustrated, she stood up and walked away from the table. Puzzled by her reaction, Jack got up from the table, but as he took a step toward her, she quickly turned around and confronted him.

"Jack, don't you understand what I did? I disguised myself as a man so I could get aboard your ship." Jack gave her a little smile and picked up a piece of food that lay on the table.

"Aye, ye certainly had the men fooled." He looked at the morsel and put it in his mouth.

"I lied when I told you my name and where I was from. I was never a stowaway," she admitted still trying to get a rise from him, but he continued to smile and swallowed the morsel.

"Nor a rat catcher, it seems." Jack tried to look serious.

Jewel became more frustrated and stepped right up to his face staring him in the eyes.

"I used you so Hawk would find me! I put you in danger along with the ship and crew!

"But then ye killed Hawk and his men," Jack replied with a grin. "Fair exchange, I'd say."

"I told you I wanted to become a pirate but..." Jack put his fingers to her mouth to stop her from talking further then pointed a finger at her.

"But, you already were," he interrupted. "You became a pirate the day ye stole that fishin' boat dressed as a man and purposely stranded yerself in search of Joe Hooper. Lucky fer you, it was the Pearl who saved ye with a captain willing to pick up drifters from the sea. Pirates always lie when in pursuit of treasure or in your case, Hooper, but naturally I… uh… kinda wondered from time to time whether you really were a man. But 'twas yer fightin'… that threw me off."

"Of course. Nothing escapes your keen eye, does it? But is that it?" Jewel asked still confused by his calm behavior. "After all I told you, after all I did? That's all you can say?"

"Aye, that'll 'bout do it, 'cept I'm beginning to believe that women make better pirates than...uh… pirates." He gave her a wry, little grin, and Jewel stared at him shaking her head. "Anyway, all is forgiven." Jewel gave him a curious look.

"Well, Jack, you certainly are a strange man to figure out."

"Ah, yes... but that's the point now, isn't it? Always have them guessing," Jack smiled and sat down again, motioning for her to do the same, "Seems we're the same in many ways, you and me. At least now I can stop thinkin' about Rafe, where he is, and how ye knew him." His demeanor changed as he paused to look into her eyes. "Ye did the world a great justice, not only fer you but for everyone. I'd heard tales of Hooper and wondered about Rafe's obsession with him but just accepted it t' be… a man's revenge, certainly not a woman's."

Jack looked down at the table and continued.

"I'm wise enough not to get close to people and only a few do I trust. Rafe was one of them. But people come into my life and leave it just the same. I can only take what life gives me." Jack then recalled his awkward talk with Rafe regarding women. "Tis a bother to have said some things to you man to man, now knowing you weren't one." He looked up at her. "I understand why ye deceived me. Who better to understand deceit than one who lives and breathes it. But I still wasn't totally fooled by yer appearance." Jewel gave him a dubious look.

"I see, Jack. Well then, I was certainly foolish to think I could deceive such a master of disguise and illusion." Jewel smiled knowing full well he had no clue she had posed as a man.

"Aye, though I must admit, I was strangely drawn to ye as Rafe. Had me worried there. Now I know why. Still I like ye much better without the mustache and beard." Jack studied her face nodding his head then slapped his hands on the table. "And now I have some questions fer you." He thought for a moment as Jewel waited then asked, "How can the dragon be destroyed?"

"Destroy the medallion and you destroy the dragon as well," she began to explain.

"So how do ye destroy the medallion?"

"I can't do it. Fire is the only thing that can destroy it."

"Well, fer certain that be not a problem."

"Not that easy, Jack. I'm afraid it'll take something more than regular fire… only the fires from hell can destroy that medallion."

"What?!"

"Dragon fire! The dragon's fire is the only fire strong enough to destroy the mystical power within the medallion, but the dragon can't destroy it while I'm wearing it. When I go into a trance we become one, and as long as we are one, it can't destroy me for it would also destroy itself. The only way is to remove the medallion from me at the opportune time. But you must remember, Jack, the dragon can only destroy evil, and it's highly unlikely that someone that evil will have possession of my medallion at the very moment the dragon destroys them. Oh yes, I almost forgot… even if the dragon destroys the medallion and therefore itself, if I'm still in the trance with it, I'll also die. One last thing, if however the power in the medallion is destroyed, the medallion itself becomes just a simple gold medallion like any other."

"Luck be cursed!" Jack murmured. "What's the quickest way to get out of the trance?"

"The quickest way is that which conquers all fire. Water!"

"Water? Not… holy water?" Jewel laughed and shook her head. "Well, that's… very interesting," Jack remarked thoughtfully. "Alright, enough said 'bout that. Now to my other questions. How did ye ever manage to throw that knife and cut the ropes on m' hands, and more importantly, what about that… kiss?"

Jewel was relieved and took a deep breath. She was glad she told him everything and was ready to put it all behind her. Now she could enjoy the voyage with him until their rendezvous with her father. With that out of the way, she now felt inclined to answer his others questions.

"Jack, as for the knife, I learned to throw it as part of my training. When you throw for hours at different targets over the course of three years, you learn not to miss, standing or sitting. Your life, or someone else's, depends on it. You understand though, I had to miss the barrel and hit the bell because being a woman I was expected to miss. If I hadn't, you would've wondered about it, and I couldn't have had you doing that."

"And the kiss," Jack asked curiously with a slight grin while watching her with riveting, dark eyes. She laughed and quickly glanced down at the table, too embarrassed to look up.

"The kiss…well, now, that's not an easy one to answer," she began. She got up from the table and walked over to the steps of the galley not wanting to face him. "I didn't know if we would truly survive. Anything could've gone wrong. I…uh … liked you and felt bad I had put you in that situation risking your life." Jack quietly got up and walked up behind her. She slowly turned around to face him and was startled to find him standing so close.

"So then, it must've been out of sorrow and pity that ye kissed me, right?" he quietly asked as he moved a step closer to her. Still embarrassed by the questioning and feeling awkward being this close to him under the circumstances, she casually stepped back and found herself up against the wall next to the galley opening.

"No, of course not. I…uh… was grateful for all you'd done and felt I owed you a kiss or something. That's all," she replied now cornered and nervously looking around.

Jack looked at her with a sweet, boyish grin enticing her with his subtle, seductive, masculine charm. He was enjoying her discomfort for with all the great skill and confidence she displayed as a fighter, and despite her feigned attempt to attract him when they first met, she was rather shy and unsure of herself this close to a man. He purposely took another step closer to her until he was right up on her and to keep her from escaping to the side, he propped up both arms against the wall behind her, one on each side of her face. Trapped, she tried not to look at him, but when he spoke to her, she just couldn't resist looking into those eyes.

"Alright, so ye thought we wouldn't make it out alive, but instead of a long hug and a few heartfelt tears, and especially knowin' I couldn't very well touch ye, ye gave me a kiss that curled m' toes and made me weak in the knees?"

She did not answer but meekly nodded her head.

"Well, woman, I'm not tied up anymore," he whispered and leaned toward her looking at her face and gazing longingly into her eyes. She softly sighed, her heart pounding with anticipation and heat slowly rising up within her causing her face to flush. She glanced down yet he continued to look at her with serious yet tender purpose. His hand gently pushed a strand of hair from her face then touched her cheek. He further moved his hand under her chin to raise her face toward him and moved his other hand gently around her waist to pull her against him. She closed her eyes and waited. Her lips parted, and with a deep breath he closed his eyes as well, but just as he felt the smooth moistness of her lips, he heard a loud cry coming from the upper deck.

Chapter 14

"Cap'n! Cap'n Sparrow!" yelled Malik. "Hurry, cap'n!"

With a sigh of frustration, Jack immediately straightened up and gave Jewel an apologetic little smile before running up the stairs to see what the problem was. When he got to the helm, Malik pointed to another ship on the western horizon. Not wasting a minute, he ran to Hawk's quarters and upon returning with the scope, looked through it to get a view of the flag flying on the other ship. At that distance he could just barely see the colors of a British patrol ship. After taking some time to observe its bearings, Jack slowly lowered the scope and began to think what to do next. With just one able-bodied pirate, an injured British officer, and a woman, he really had no crew to defend the Raven and therefore had no choice but to keep on course and see what the British would do. Though with the luck he'd been having lately, he knew the British would spot them soon enough, if not already.

Surprised and disappointed by the untimely interruption of their kiss, Jewel took a few moments to gather her thoughts and presently came up on deck where she found Jack near the helm standing at the side of the ship and looking out over the water. When he saw her he pointed to the other ship and explained the situation that if the British pursued them, he would have to surrender the Raven to them. Because the Raven had such a bad reputation in all the area, there was clearly a mandate out for the capture or death of Hawk and his men. He did not want the British to start firing at the Raven, thinking they were still on board. Jewel listened while he voiced his concern. An idea suddenly came to her, and her eyes opened wide with excitement.

"Jack, what a great opportunity for you," she exclaimed excitedly grabbing his arm. "Just think about it! You'll get credit for killing Hawk and his crew, except for Malik and those other men, and my father will surely reward you for my rescue." Surprised by her rationalization of the recent events, Jack thought about what she said, then frowned.

"I hardly think the Brits are going to pat me on the back and throw me a party," Jack responded realistically. "Oh, tis more likely they'll throw me behind bars and then have a party." He gently took her by the arm and moved away from the listening ears of Malik. "But I didn't do those things, you did," he said in a low voice. "I just literally hung around while you did all the work. Remember?" He raised his hands together over his head to remind her of the ropes.

"I know, but no one else does and never will," she whispered back decisively. "They'll take my word for it. I'll see to that."

Jack resignedly nodded his head allowing her to believe she could sway the inevitable. He looked out over the water again in the direction of the other ship. When it became apparent the British were headed in their direction, he immediately set forth to lower the pirate flag and gave Malik further instructions. Jewel, meanwhile, went to check on John and found him awake and resting quietly. She checked his wound and changed the bandage, and since he was feeling much better and hungry, she went to bring him a bowl of food. When she finally returned he carefully sat up and immediately satiated his appetite with each heaping helping of food, smiling at her from time to time to show his satisfaction and gratitude. She stayed with him for a while allowing Jack time to consider his options and decide what action he was going to take now that the British were closing in. She trusted him completely and knew he would do whatever was best for everyone on board even if meant putting himself in danger.

"Thank you, Julianne, for everything," John said with a weak smile. "This has certainly been a trying day."

"Oh, you have no idea," she responded with a little sigh and got up to take his empty bowl away.

"Please, don't go just yet," he said in a quiet voice. "I haven't had a chance to spend any time with you since leaving the Black Pearl, and I would like to talk to you, if you don't mind."

"Alright, John," she replied setting the bowl on the table and moving a chair closer to him. She helped him settle back down in the bunk and fluffed up his pillow. When he was comfortable, she gave him a cheerful look and sat down in the chair next to him.

"What happened to you and Sparrow this morning?" he asked in a quiet yet concerned voice. "I wish you hadn't left me behind like that. I was worried about you the whole time, especially when I heard an explosion, and you came back to the boat weak and barely able to stand. I thought you were injured. What happened out there?"

Jewel thought for a moment to consider what she should say. So much had happened, and still she could only tell him a little of what actually transpired.

"Well, they had taken Jack to a hidden cave and tied him up," she began to explain. "When I finally got there, I asked to speak to him alone, and luckily Hawk agreed. While talking to him and out of the view of the pirates, I… uh, slipped him a small knife I had found in Hawk's quarters. Next I went to distract Hawk and his men, while Jack managed to cut himself loose. It all happened so quickly after that. Frankly, all I remember is that Jack somehow threw a lighted torch at several kegs of gunpowder and miraculously got me out of there before the whole place exploded. And as you now know, no one else in the cave survived."

Jewel did not like having to lie to John about the cave, but she did not want him to know about the dragon and knew she needed him to believe what she said if Jack was going to get out of this situation alive. Because of her, Jack risked his life with Hawk and now with the British. Luckily she had been able to put down Hawk and his men, and if she thought to be successful with the British, she would need the help of this man. In the meantime, John thought about what she said and slowly nodded his head.

"John, do you fully understand the magnitude of what Jack has done?" she asked looking deeply into his eyes and taking his hand. John was about to answer when he became distracted by the gentle touch of her fingers as she began to slowly massage his palm. He watched while they kneaded the fleshy area below his thumb in slow, deliberate circles and soon a soothing feeling of extreme relaxation came over him. He closed his eyes and heard her soft voice as she leaned closer and quietly whispered in his ear.

"John, you will remember my words, won't you?"

John nodded his head, and she reminded him again that Jack had acted heroically. He had eliminated the evil threat of Hawkins and his men as well as rescuing him and his remaining crew from the watery depths. Though a wanted pirate, Jack had risked his very own ship and crew for his safety and was doing it even now. He had also saved her from kidnapping and fought off Sly Dog and his men who tried to take over the Raven and more than likely would have killed him.

"There will soon be a reckoning when Jack will need you to save his life, and you will do so for you know he is a good man, and so are you," she explained. "John, will you remember these things?"

"Yes, Jack is a good man, and I will help him," he slowly replied.

"Very good." Jewel laid his hand down on the bed and straightened back up. When he opened his eyes, he found her smiling at him.

"You dozed off while I was talking to you."

"I'm sorry," he replied, "I do feel a little dizzy. And Julianne?"

"Yes?"

"Would you mind if I asked where you learned to handle a knife and sword like that?"

Jewel stared at him with a surprised look on her face. She quickly tried to think of some answer to appease him and was about to respond when suddenly a familiar voice came from the steps. Jewel turned around as Jack came down into the small room.

"So how's our wounded commander?"

"John had his dinner and says he's feeling better," she answered with a feeling of relief for his timely intervention. She went to take the empty bowl back to the galley as Jack sat down in the chair and looked over at John. After all he'd done to provoke the commander, he appreciated John's effort to stand with him against Sly Dog and his friends.

"I never got the chance to thank ye fer helpin' me today with Harper," Jack said feeling somewhat awkward. "Sorry ye got wounded on my behalf."

John was surprised by his remark of gratitude, and while under the profound influence of Jewel's mental suggestion, he looked at Jack with a different perspective.

"Oh well, you seemed the lesser of two evils at the time, Captain, or rather four," he replied with a slight grin then a grimace of pain as he tried to adjust his position. "Besides, I do recall that my life as well as Julianne's was also at risk." Jack had to agree and nodded his head.

"I also came down to tell ye some news... or more like good news fer you," Jack announced. "Ye'll be happy to know a British ship is now heading our way." After a moment he added, "Looks like ye won after all, Commander, so I relinquish my command to you. The Raven… is now yours." With great effort John strained to stand up and faced him.

"Seems I've misjudged you, Captain Sparrow," he finally replied, "Thank you, but the mission remains the same. We stay on course for Antigua."

John leaned over and in good faith extended a hand to him. Jack was surprised by the gesture, yet in spite of his natural inclination to avoid familiarity with the British, he sensed the commander's sincerity. John waited for Jack to respond, and after a moment's hesitation and a bit of reservation, Jack finally shook his hand. John smiled and as he turned to go up the stairs, Jack quickly got up and put his hand on the commander's shoulder.

"I reckon you'll be needin' this," he said and held the scope in his hand.

John agreed with a slight nod of his head, took the scope, and slowly climbed the steps to the main deck leaving Jack alone. Deep in thoughts of grave concern, Jack sat for some time wondering if he'd ever see the Pearl and his crew again now that the British were fast approaching and questioned whether his chances of avoiding the gallows this time were in his favor or not. Presently he heard the sound of soft footsteps and looked up to find Jewel coming down the steps.

"John's asking that we help him take in the sails."

"Hmmm, that would be the next thing to do, and I guess we can't keep the British waitin' now, can we?" he replied somberly, his tone disheartened by the turn of events. "Well, Riggs is in command now, Jewel, so ye'll need to act accordingly. And most important, no matter what happens to me, don't try to be a hero again on my account. What ye did before was enough. Do ye understand what I'm sayin'?" Jewel stared at him then looked downward in anguish and frustration. Had she saved him from one enemy just to hand him over to another? Seeing the look of concern on her face, Jack quickly walked over to her and lifted her chin to look at her.

"Woman… you must listen to me now," he said almost in a whisper. "There are things 'bout me even you can't change. I'm a wanted pirate, no matter what the circumstances are. I've lived my life as I chose, knowin' the rules and certainly knowin' the risks. Seems all my life I've been runnin' from the noose, and I'm used to that. I've cheated death many times, and many of those times with the help of others, but still… still to the point where I relish the challenge of the escape. But I'm no fool. I gamble with life. I know the chances of doin' that over and over get slimmer each time. I don't know what'll happen to me from here out, but it's important to me that ye're safe, so please stay close to Riggs. If I can't get ye home, I know he will. I think he truly cares about ye." He then furrowed his brow and pointed a finger at her. "Oh yes, one last thing. Promise me…. no more dragon... whatever ye do, whatever happens!"

She nodded her head, and as her eyes started to tear, Jewel quickly looked away so he would not notice. Sensing her despair Jack suddenly pulled her close and put his arms around her, holding her for perhaps the last time. She closed her eyes feeling the strength of his arms and was comforted knowing the kind of man he was. He truly did have nine lives just like Sly said, she thought to herself. Now the question was, just how many did he have left?

"We need to help Riggs now," Jack said quietly as he stroked her hair. "He'll need us to be strong and obligin', so I'm countin' on ye. Savvy?"

"Yes, Jack, I savvy," she answered trying hard to smile. He chuckled at her response and motioned her toward the steps. After following her up to the galley, Jack went to the main deck to look for John and found him near the helm.

"It's Henry Locke and the Sentinel from Port Royal," John noted as he looked through the scope. "Not assigned to this far part of the Caribbean. Guess we'll soon find out why he's here."

He handed the scope to Jack who also took a long look at the approaching ship. After a few moments he lowered it and handed it back to the commander who went to take the helm while Jack and Malik began to take in sails. As the ship slowed its pace, Jack took his clothes from the side of the ship and went to change back into them. It was not long before the Sentinel came up along side the Raven and secured it. A British captain cautiously boarded the Raven with several of his officers and armed guards. After finding another British officer on deck, he curiously walked over to the smiling commander.

"John? John Riggs? What in heaven's name are you doing on the Raven, and where are Hawkins and his men?" he asked shaking the commander's hand and glancing around the ship. "We had word the Black Pearl was seen in this area, so we were checking it out." He stared at John's bandaged arm. "So what happened to you?"

"It's a long story, Henry, but the Vigilant was destroyed," John reported sadly. "I lost fourteen good men, including Stratton and Guilford." He paused a moment then continued, "It was Hawkins. We were pursuing the Raven, but we were outmaneuvered. We fought them with everything we had, but it was useless. They blew our ship right out of the water."

With a sigh the captain gritted his teeth and lowered his head in sorrow for he had known many of those men. When he looked up, he glanced around the deck of the ship again and saw Jack come up from the lower deck and stand off to the side looking shrewdly at the Sentinel.

"Wait! That looks like… Jack Sparrow!" remarked the captain narrowing his eyes to get a clearer look. Finally he turned back toward the commander. "Maybe you better start telling me that long story, John."

"Well, after the Raven destroyed the Vigilant and left us sinking, who should happen to come along, but Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl," John began. "Amazingly enough, Sparrow saved us, or at least those of us left to save, and took us on board his ship. His crew even tended to the wounds of my men." Locke was shocked and furrowed his brow.

"Really! So where are your men and the Black Pearl now?"

"Actually, on their way to Antigua," John answered hesitantly. "We're supposed to meet up with them tomorrow."

The captain gave him a stern yet dubious look.

"Antigua? John, I expect to get a full explanation on how you just happened to now be in possession of the Raven," the captain responded. John nodded his head, and he and the captain walked over to where Jack was standing. Jack heard their footsteps and quickly turned around, smiling yet wary of their intentions.

"I'm Captain Henry Locke of the HMS Sentinel. I know who you are, Jack Sparrow. You're captain of that pirate ship, the Black Pearl. How is it that you're here on the Raven with Commander Riggs, and where are Hawkins and his men?"

Before Jack could answer, Jewel also came up the steps and walked over to them, much to the surprise of Captain Locke and his men.

"Hello, sir," she addressed him as he looked her up and down. "Thank you for coming to our aid and rescuing us. Even I know it takes more men to sail a ship, especially a large one like this. Would anyone care for tea?" Jack gave her a curious look and wondered what she was doing. "Oh dear, sorry, no tea, only rum," she apologized with an awkward smile.

"John, what's going on here, and what is she, rather all of you doing on this ship?" Captain Locke inquired irritably turning to look at the commander with a baffled and confused look. "Is there anyone else on board, or is this ungodly pirate ship solely occupied by a British commander, a pirate captain, a pirate sailor, and this woman?"

"No, Captain. I mean… yes," offered Jack stepping closer to him and moving his hands gracefully back and forth. "We do make a rather odd crew," he looked around then gave him a wry grin, "but I can explain."

Captain Locke narrowed his eyes and waited for his explanation.

"You see, sir, this lovely lady is Julianne Whitbourne from Antigua," Jack explained motioning with his hands, "She was on her way to St. John's but got stranded on another island, and being the gentleman that I am, I offered to return her to her home. On the way, we found the commander and his men, uh… floating around, and well, being the compassionate man that I am, I took them aboard and had m' men care for them as we continued on our way to Antigua. Soon after that, the three of us were taken hostage by that dreaded Captain Hawk and his men and brought aboard the Raven, and naturally, being the enterprising man that I am, we… uh… got rid of them and successfully escaped with his ship. So you see, Captain, that's how we all got here... on the Raven." Then with a big grin and shrugging his shoulders, he added, "It's really quite simple... Really."

"Truly remarkable," Captain Locke said with a hint of sarcasm. "So you simply… got rid of Hawkins and his crew? What did you do, ask them to simply jump overboard?" he inquired still rather perplexed and quickly losing his patience. "Where are they now? Again, I ask!" He looked at each one waiting for an answer. Jewel and John looked at each other, and she finally beckoned him with her eyes to speak up and tell him. After a long moment he felt compelled to answer the question.

"Actually, sir, they're… um… dead. Hawkins and his men took Captain Sparrow to a cave with the intention of killing him, leaving me tied up on the ship along with this pirate and Miss Whitbourne. Well, luckily she managed to disarm the guard, leave the ship, and follow the others into the cave, and in an amazing turn of events, helped Captain Sparrow successfully get free. He proceeded to ignite some barrels of stored gunpowder in the cave, thus blowing them up, but not before he rescued Miss Whitbourne and returned to the Raven to release me as well. I truly believe, sir, had Sparrow not done that, I would've been killed and, as for Miss Whitbourne, well, we can only imagine her fate."

Jack was surprised yet impressed by John's explanation and quickly glanced over at Jewel with a quizzical look. She had also been listening as John gave his account of what transpired, but when she sensed Jack looking at her, she turned and smiled at him. Captain Locke thought for a moment to consider what John had said and then looked at Jewel.

"Is this true, Miss Whitbourne?" he inquired. "Apparently you were there. Are Hawkins and his men truly dead?"

"Yes, sir," she responded with a straight face, "Captain Sparrow saved all of us from the hands of those murdering cutthroats." Suddenly to the surprise of everyone, she started to cry. "They were going to kill us and… and use poor Commander Riggs as target practice. I know, that mean pirate man, Hawk, told me."

"There, there, Miss Whitbourne," said Captain Locke sympathetically as he put his arm gently around her shoulder to comfort her. "Such horrible things for an innocent young woman to witness and endure."

Jack rolled his eyes at her performance as John offered to get her some water. After he left, Captain Locke continued in his efforts to comfort her, while Jack furrowed his brow and shook his head.

"She's a better bloody pirate than I am," he mumbled under his breath as he thought about Jewel's tearful explanation. "Already got 'em hooked and reelin' them in."

John came back with some water, and Jewel gratefully sipped at it. When finished she thanked them, and the two officers took a walk around the deck leaving Jack alone with her.

"That mean pirate man? Oh, you poor, helpless dear," Jack smirked then quietly looked around to ensure the other British soldiers were not within hearing distance. "Well, you sure got them snookered. Now what?"

"Look, Jack," she replied with a slight grin. "I just want the captain to get his facts right." Quickly looking over at John and Captain Locke, she added, "I wonder what's going to happen to us now."

"Oh, I can tell ye what's goin' to happen," Jack said narrowing his eyes as he stared at the Sentinel. "Locke has no choice but to escort the Raven to St. John's or wherever we meet up with the Pearl. He'll need to pick up Riggs' men for the return trip to Port Royal for one thing then I expect he'll wanna take me, the crew, and the Pearl back as well. Especially me... to face the gallows. That way, there'll be neither Raven nor Black Pearl sailin' the open seas."

"You're wrong, Jack, I won't let him take you back!" Jewel responded with resolve. "We'll fight them if we have to, or I will!" Jack quickly shook his head, but before he could say anything, she immediately walked toward Captain Locke. As she approached, the men looked up and smiled at her.

"Captain, May I ask what's going to happen with regards to me and Captain Sparrow?" she inquired demurely.

"Miss Whitbourne, the commander here has advised me of your situation," he graciously replied. "You've had quite an ordeal, so once we've located the Black Pearl, we'll escort you and your father back to Antigua."

"And what of Jack Sparrow and his crew?" she further inquired. "Captain, I know my father will certainly want to reward him for my rescue, so it is very important that I stay close to him to make sure he doesn't try to sail off without my father's thanks. You know, some pirates are funny that way, never ever wanting to stay around longer than they have to. And I'm sure Commander Riggs will want to say a few things about him when he makes a formal statement as to what happened to us. Won't you, Commander?"

"My report will be complete and accurate, as always," John replied.

"Thank you," Jewel said gratefully and watched as Captain Locke went over to speak with his guards. Moments later he and the other men walked over to where Jack was standing by the side of the ship. Jewel became alarmed and with pleading eyes turned to John.

"Julianne, the captain has to ensure the safety of this ship," John said quickly as she started to move away from him. "Jack will be alright, I promise. I'll see to it. I know what he means to you." In an effort to reassure her, John attempted to put his hand on her shoulder, but she shrugged in order to avoid contact with him and immediately ran over to Jack just as the guards were putting irons on his wrists.

"Captain Locke, what are you doing?!" she protested. "You can't put Jack Sparrow in these horrible… things! He rescued me and Commander Riggs and also rid this area of those pirates, which I believe is actually the job of the Royal Navy, and this is how you reward him? You simply can't do this! Captain Sparrow is a good man and a hero! And obviously more efficient than all of you! I must insist that you release him!"

Jack was startled by her zealous attempt to intercede on his behalf, and when Captain Locke turned to look at him, Jack grinned and looked back at him with humble, repentant eyes.

"I'm truly sorry, Miss Whitbourne," replied the captain, "however, you must know I am bound by the law and my orders. This man is wanted by the British Royal Navy, and I must act accordingly. Now, I can certainly appreciate your concern for his safety and well-being, and whereas he may be somewhat of a… hero in your eyes, Miss Whitbourne, does not change the fact that he's still a wanted pirate. I'm sure Jack Sparrow can present his case before the governor in Port Royal and get a fair hearing." After turning again to Jack, he saluted him.

"It would seem, sir, that congratulations are in order for the man who single handedly disposed of Hawkins and his band of cutthroats. Know also we are very grateful for the rescue of this woman and the survivors of the HMS Vigilant, however, I trust you do understand my position." Jack gave him a forced smile as Captain Locke ordered his men to take him to the ship's brig. Jewel quickly stepped between Jack and the guards.

"Fine, but at least confine him to Hawk's quarters," she argued. "I'm telling you, sir, this man's a hero and deserves to be made comfortable for the duration of the voyage, not to sleep among rats and crawling bugs." Captain Locke noted her stern look and considered her request.

"Alright, Miss Whitbourne, alright," he relented with a deep sigh, certainly not wanting to have a confrontation with the distressed woman. "I'll allow that, but understand… nothing more!" After ordering his men to take Jack to the captain's quarters, Captain Locke finally tipped his hat to her and went to talk with John.

"And one last thing, Captain Locke," Jewel called out to him. "My father is a very good friend of the governor of Antigua, and I'm certain he wouldn't appreciate anything bad happening to this man. Savvy?" Jack almost choked with laughter and simply shrugged his shoulders as the guards looked at her then back at him.

"Women!" he responded with a grin, after which they promptly took him to the cabin and posted a guard at the door.

With a small British crew now aboard the Raven, both ships sailed together toward Antigua. Under protest Jewel finally allowed herself to be taken aboard the Sentinel so she could be better accommodated and was quickly sequestered in Captain Locke's quarters. She worried about Jack, and as she anxiously walked around the room, she immediately began to sense something amiss aboard the Raven. She looked to see if there was anything she could use as a weapon in case she needed it, but finding none, she sat down on the floor and closed her eyes, focusing on her thoughts. After a few moments of deep breathing, she opened her eyes and took out the gold medallion. Holding it in her hand, she stared at the door.

"Captain John Locke…come to me, Captain Locke," she whispered.

"Hear me, oh captain, your presence I seek,

For of knowledge, and wisdom, and truth shall we speak."

Fully concentrating on the captain, she began to slowly raise her hands from her lap and continued to quietly call upon him. After some moments, there was a gentle knock on the door. Jewel immediately got up from the floor and put the medallion away just as the door slowly opened. Captain Locke stood in the doorway with one of the guards who held some cups and a small teakettle.

"It suddenly occurred to me, Miss Whitbourne, that though you kindly offered me tea earlier when you actually had none, I might return the favor and offer you tea which I actually have," the captain remarked graciously as he walked in.

"Why yes, thank you, Captain." Smiling she went to sit down at the table.

"Good. Even on the open sea, we can't forego all social amenities."

Captain Locke returned the smile and poured a cup for her and himself, after which he sat down at the table across from her and waited. Jewel nodded her head in gratitude and began to sip the tea. As she did so, she looked over at the captain and studied him as he drank his tea and began to talk about the mission of the Sentinel and their orders to patrol the waters of the Caribbean, making it safer for all ships and towns. He was an older man, she noted, about medium height with a lean build and a deep, strong voice. With his blue uniform and typical white wig, he seemed quite an able officer. She felt very comfortable with him and needed him to also feel comfortable with her.

"Captain Locke, thank you so much for visiting me and bringing tea," she said gratefully. "I do want to apologize for my behavior earlier aboard the Raven. Please understand, it had been a terrible day and being taken by those pirates had been a harrowing experience. I do feel much better now, thanks to you and your men. And you were right to bring me on the Sentinel so I could rest and feel more like myself again, especially with my father on his way." She took a moment to take another sip and spoke once more. "May I pour you some more tea?"

"Yes, thank you, Miss Whitbourne," he answered.

"I must confess," she continued. "I feel so much safer here with you aboard your ship, Captain. You're so brave to go after pirates and risk your life to protect the people in this area." Jewel finished pouring the tea and asked demurely, "And just where do you live when you're not on a ship? Where is your home?"

"We're home-based in Port Royal having just arrived a few months ago from England," he replied now gazing at her and smiling. "We sailed with the Vigilant to join the HMS Manchester." She nodded in acknowledgement then glanced down at his hand noticing a gold insignia ring he wore.

"Oh, Captain, what a beautiful ring!" she exclaimed reaching out to touch his hand. "May I look at it more closely?" The captain smiled and agreed. After admiring the ring, she turned his hand over. "You have such strong hands, the hands of a strong leader."

Though somewhat embarrassed by her compliment, he thanked her then was further surprised when she began to slowly rub his palm in a slow, circular motion. The touch of her fingers and the feeling of euphoria they gave made his arm go slack, and all he could focus on was the relaxing sensation he began to feel throughout his body. He looked down at his hand, but before he could question what she was doing, she leaned in closer to him.

"Captain Locke, look at me!" she said in a low, gentle voice focusing her gaze at him.

Still puzzled, Captain Locke looked up and stared into her eyes as they began to flicker with little sparkles of light. Within moments his arm went totally limp, and he slowly closed his eyes. She took a deep breath and whispered to him.

"Sir, you're a good man, Captain Locke, and a good and noble leader to your men. They respect you and in the face of danger, you'll protect them at all cost. You also know that Jack Sparrow is a good man, too, and therefore you'll do him no harm. You will help him in his time of need. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Jewel stopped rubbing his palm and quietly sat back in her chair sipping on her tea and smiling to herself.

"Captain, are you alright?" she said softly to him. When he did not answer, she again called out his name. Finally the captain slowly opened his eyes and feeling a little disoriented and flustered, looked over at her.

"I'm sorry, Miss Whitbourne. What were you saying?"

"Oh, nothing really, Captain," she replied setting her cup down on the table. "I was just wondering how you liked being here in the Caribbean so far away from England and your family." He nodded and took a sip of his tea.

"Actually I have no family here or in England, and as far as the Caribbean, well, the weather is hot and steamy, but the islands are quite beautiful," he remarked and took out his timepiece. "But regretfully, Miss Whitbourne, I'm going to have to leave you now and return to my duties. Thank you for your delightful company. You're indeed a charming, young woman, and I hope you'll be comfortable in my quarters."

Jewel lowered her head in gratitude as the captain got up, tipped his hat, and left his quarters. She watched him close the door then finished her tea, again wondering what Jack was doing. She missed him and worried that he was somehow in danger. Feeling mentally and physically drained, she lay down in the captain's comfortable bunk, and though the night was young, she closed her weary eyes and quickly fell asleep.

The evening moon shone brightly on the water lighting the way for the Raven and Sentinel as they sailed together toward St. John's. With his hands in irons, Jack lay quietly in the bunk and tried to get some sleep. A gentle breeze blew through the open windows, and though he too was exhausted from the day's activities, he could not sleep. Staring blankly at the dark surroundings, he thought about Hawk and Hooper and how they all died. He also thought about Jewel and the power of her medallion. The dragon was dangerous, and if he ever got the chance to talk to her again, he would try to convince her to destroy the medallion… somehow. His mind wandered, and he remembered how she looked in the galley up against the wall, flushed and anticipating his kiss. He smiled at the memory and ran his tongue over his lower lip.

Suddenly Jack was startled by a knock on the door. He struggled to sit up in the dark and beckoned the visitor to come in. The door slowly opened, and Commander Riggs stood in the doorway holding a lantern with his good hand. Behind him carrying a large bottle of rum and two cups was one of the guards. Jack squinted his eyes from the light and watched as they entered the room.

"Would you care for some company?" John asked as he walked over to a table and set the lantern down. "Seemed a little early to retire, and I for one could use a few swigs after all that's happened to us in the last couple of days. Thought you might feel the same way. The galley seems pretty well stocked with all manner of drink, so here I am, ready to deaden the memory of today or at least deaden the pain in my shoulder, hopefully both." He adjusted the sling a little then looked at Jack. "So, Captain Sparrow, what do you say?"

"What do I say?" Jack responded with restored enthusiasm, "Don't tarry there like an ol' sea hag. Pull up a chair and pour me a drink!"

John laughed and they sat down at the table across from each other while the guard set the bottle and cups on the table, lit some candles, and quickly left the room. John poured them each a drink and after setting a cup before Jack, leaned back to enjoy his. Jack awkwardly lifted the cup to his mouth with both hands, but the manacles became a cumbersome nuisance. Noticing Jack's predicament, John chuckled and immediately swallowed his drink, then reached into his pocket for the keys.

"Promise to be good, ole man?" he jested as he unlocked the manacles and watched Jack rub his wrists.

"Seems I don't have much of a choice now, do I?" Jack replied then eyed his drink with a wide grin and quickly drank it. He poured himself another. "Now, Commander, why would you, a proud, respectable young officer of the ever so grand Royal Navy, a man dedicated to king and country, protector of all men… and ladies, and an honorable, upstanding gentleman, wanna be spendin' time with a cantankerous, low-down, conniving, devious, deceitful, and dangerous brigand such as m'self?" he asked suspiciously with a raised eyebrow. John laughed at Jack's descriptive remark and poured himself another drink as well.

"You, Captain Sparrow, dangerous? Cantankerous, low-down, conniving, and what else? Oh yes, devious and deceitful… all of them true. But dangerous? I hardly think so. Surely you remember our duel from earlier today, 'cause I just don't recall you being the victor. More like given a reprieve by the untimely arrival of your old mates. Remember? Besides, I was getting bored. I needed a little distraction, and you, sir, are… always good for a few laughs." He then reached into his pocket and took out a deck of cards. "Care to rumble once more with a one-armed man, only this time by way of a game of chance?"

Unable to handle the cards well with his arm in the sling, the commander gave Jack the deck of cards to shuffle. Jack's eyes quickly lit up and he gladly accepted the offer. Once the cards were ready, he began to deal them out.

"Distraction indeed, Commander," Jack replied as he watched his cards form a small pile before him. After picking up his hand, he carefully sorted them then with a wily look in his eyes, slowly gazed over the top of them at the young officer, observing his face and hoping to determine what cards he held.

"Ye do realize, mate, I've nothin' much to wager," Jack casually informed his opponent as he peered at his cards.

"Not to worry. We won't wager anything extravagant," John responded with an amused grin. "How about the trinkets in your hair? Are they worth anything?" Jack furrowed his brow and quickly shook his head.

"Nay, but they are worth far more in sentimental value, ye see, so I won't be making a wager of them… nor m' gold teeth, in case ye're wondering. But hold on! For such an occasion as this, I just might have something that'll interest you, something of… great value, something to remember our… time together."

John was intrigued and waited while Jack reached in his pocket and pulled out the gold watch he found earlier among the valuables left in Hawk's quarters. He laid it on the table, and the commander picked it up for a better look.

"Something pilfered off a poor, misfortunate galoot, I expect," he surmised suspiciously. "Doesn't seem like the kind of thing a pirate would include as part of his normal attire, at least not you, Captain."

"Ahhh, Commander Riggs. Clever as always, and a sharp eye fer sure! Well, let's just say that he who did the owning owed him who did the taking a debt, so that he who did the taking can now offer it to him who's looking to wager a bet. Savvy?"

John gave him a puzzled look and thought for a moment trying to interpret what Jack said. After a few long moments, Jack finally threw up his hands.

"So, do ye accept the bloody watch or not?" Jack asked impatiently.

"Agreed."

"And what are you wagering, oh fearless one?" he inquired of the commander playfully with a wide grin.

"Not sure. I really don't have much to wager. Everything I had went down with the Vigilant," John explained. "I can, however, do something which you might prefer, Captain, so my wager is simply to keep those irons off you while you're on this ship. Of course, I don't expect to lose, but are those acceptable terms to you?"

"Aye, mate, now that be something worthwhile t' be sure," smiled Jack and at once they began to play the cards.

As the hour passed, the two men continued to play cards and drink the Raven's rum. When the bottle ran dry, John called for another, and soon the two inebriated men were laughing and sometimes singing, and either way, merrily making the most of their situation. Their laughter could be heard in the lower part of the ship where Malik lay awake in a hammock, his hands also in irons. Alone in the dark, he thought to himself how fast things change, remembering that only twenty-four hours earlier, he was among the pirate crew of the great Raven under the command of the dreaded Hawk and Joe Hooper. He pensively thought back to the other day.

Malik's crewmates had just brought aboard the ship three hostages from the Black Pearl... a young woman, Jack Sparrow, and a British officer. At the time, he thought it seemed an odd combination of captives, but he was not about to voice his opinion on the matter. As usual it was all about money, the ransom of the woman he was told, and for which he had no reason not to believe. But now, twenty-four hours later, Hawk and his crewmates were dead except for him, and perhaps Sly, Harper and Rizzo, though he had no way of knowing for sure. Now he was a prisoner of the British Royal Navy on his way to St. John's. Truly his fate could be no better than hanging since he sailed under Hawk and now with Jack Sparrow.

Malik's mind wandered as he thought about the Raven. It just did not seem right, he thought, that such a fine ship as this would eventually end up in the possession of the Brits. For many years he had sailed aboard this ship during good times and bad. Hawk had been an able captain all right and his mates as daring and ruthless as they come. He even remembered Sparrow, but only that he had left abruptly. Through the years they had plundered many ships and towns, taking what they wanted and leaving little if anything behind. Still the ship deserved better than this. At least with Jack Sparrow, there was the possibility of freedom, but even he was now under heavy guard by the Royal Navy and faced almost certain execution.

The Raven slowly rocked side to side as it cut through the waves, and Malik swayed a little with the gentle movement of the ship. He missed the camaraderie of his old mates, and the solitude he felt as he watched the empty hammocks swaying nearby weighed heavily on his mind. It was certainly odd, he thought, that no one was guarding him. The few British soldiers were up on the main deck either watching over Sparrow or at the helm guiding the Raven along side that of the other ship, but no one was actually guarding him.

Malik suddenly felt a little dizzy and stared blankly at the low ceiling above him as his thoughts gradually faded into darkness. Moments later his eyes flashed a faint red glow, which quickly disappeared, then with a little smile he slowly slipped out of the hammock and stood up. He looked around and remembered the gun deck was just above him. With a nefarious thought in mind, he stealthfully made his way to where the cannons were.

"This ship deserves better than to be stripped fer the use of them British dogs," Malik murmured disdainfully to himself as he silently walked among the cannons, running his manacled hands over the length of them. "Even to be lost to the bottom of the sea as food fer barnacles and home to sharks would be a far better fate than what's comin' to 'er. And what fate do I 'ave comin' to me, 'cept a short drop o'er the low water mark fer sure."

Malik looked around and noticed the large stockpile of gunpowder and explosives at the rear of the ship and below the captain's quarters bringing a smile to his face. He quietly moved to the steps and beyond them to the galley and finding no one around, quickly entered. The room was dark except for some smoldering embers from the earlier meal. Taking some discarded hay from the empty chicken pen, he held it to the embers until it started to burn then though encumbered by the shackles, he managed to light an oil lamp. He looked around and opened the door to a small closet where he found a few weapons left behind from the Raven's crew. He carefully took out an old pistol and finding it loaded, stuck it in his belt. He continued to search quietly for a knife and soon found one to accommodate him. Now armed, Malik went back to the chicken pen and threw the oil lamp at it. The dry straw quickly caught fire, and the entire area was soon engulfed in flames. He stayed a moment, satisfied with his handiwork, then raced up the steps to the main deck as smoke began to rise from the open stairwell.

"Fire, fire below deck!" Malik yelled and stepped aside when the guards standing nearby ran down the steps to put it out. In the confusion and smoke, Malik ran up the steps to the helm and holding the pistol in both hands quickly pointed it at the two men manning the wheel.

"Back away from the wheel, gentlemen!" he demanded in a low, stern voice, "And drop yer weapons and unlock these irons!"

The men slowly backed away from the helm, and when Malik motioned again with the pistol, one of them quickly unlocked the shackles. Noises were heard as the other guards came running up the stairs from out of the galley coughing and gagging from the smoke. The guards on the quarterdeck were distracted, and Malik quickly grabbed the closest one and held the pistol at his throat. After pulling him to the side, Malik turned a malicious eye toward the other guard.

"Now, you!" Malik said to the startled young man, "That's right, pretty boy! I mean you! Go get yer commander and be quick about it! Run!" Suddenly one of the guards rang the bell to sound an alarm.

The frightened guard ran down the steps and turned toward the captain's quarters. Still pointing the pistol at his captive, Malik quickly took hold of the helm and turned the wheel sharply causing the ship to veer toward the Sentinel. As the ship's motion suddenly turned to the side, the guards on deck lost their balance and grabbed onto whatever they could to keep from falling down. Staggering the young guard finally reached the captain's quarters.

"Commander, Commander Riggs, sir," the guard yelled as he banged on the door to the cabin, "Please, sir, you're needed right away!"

The other guards were now aware that Malik had control of the helm and waited anxiously for John to come out and give further instructions. Inside the quarters, however, both Jack and the commander had fallen off their chairs at the ship's sudden turn and sat on the floor wondering what had happened.

"Do you hear something?" asked John and though somewhat intoxicated, he awkwardly struggled to get off the floor and to his feet.

"Aye, something," Jack responded then sniffed the air as smoke from the ship came in through the open windows. "Oh good, is someone cookin'?"

"Hey, that's not cooking! That's fire!" John yelled and he quickly reached for the table to pull himself up. As he struggled to stand, putting his weight on one side of the table caused it to tilt, and it accidentally fell over on Jack. John stumbled to the door and opened it just as the guard stopped pounding on it.

"Commander, sir, the ship's on fire," bemoaned the young guard with labored breath, "and that… that pirate has taken Mr. Ryker as hostage. Now he's turned the ship toward the Sentinel! He's demanding your presence, sir."

John squinted through the smoke to see Malik at the helm with a pistol pointed at the guard, Ryker. Sobering up quickly and focusing on the crisis, he ran to the quarterdeck leaving Jack on the floor struggling to get out from under the table. As John reached the top of the steps, Malik motioned for him to come closer. When he did, Malik pushed Ryker out of the way and turned the pistol on the commander instead.

"Tell yer men to throw their weapons overboard and stay inside the captain's cabin!" he ordered and glancing at the Sentinel, noticed hurried activity on board.

"You must be mad!" John replied angrily. "Look around! The ship's on fire! It'll explode once the fire reaches the arsenal! We have to get off this ship! Now!"

"No way!" Malik deviously sneered. "Look around! See any longboats to save yer bloody arse, Commander?" John looked around but saw none then Malik continued. "I rather thought not. Now order yer men!" John motioned for Ryker to leave and tell the others what to do.

"Listen to me! We must jump ship immediately and swim to the Sentinel!" John demanded. "They'll rescue us." Just then the bell on the Sentinel sounded as the captain and his men lined the side of the ship to assess the situation.

"Really?" Malik asked. "Well, no need fer swimmin' either since we're headed straight fer it as we speak." He then directed John's attention to the ship's heading.

"You are mad! You seriously intend to ram this ship into the Sentinel and have it explode!" John exclaimed and though encumbered by his one arm in a sling, in desperation he reached out suddenly with the other to grab the pistol away from Malik. They fought over it until Malik used it at last to hit the commander on the head, and John promptly slumped to the deck.

"You men, throw yer weapons overboard and get in the captain's quarters now, if ye wish yer commander to live!" Malik yelled out to several guards who were still on deck. They immediately obeyed Malik's command and quickly crammed themselves inside the cabin just as Jack picked up the gold watch and pulled himself up off the floor.

"What's happenin'?" Jack asked with a look of surprise as he scanned the roomful of guards who suddenly surrounded him.

"That pirate has a pistol on Commander Riggs and ordered us to stay in here," replied one of the guards. Jack rolled his eyes.

"Ordered ye? Ha! What a fine herd of royal sheep you are!" Jack commented with exasperation and immediately pushed his way through the small horde of red coats, opening the door and letting in thick smoke from the fire below deck. He quickly went out, angrily slamming the door behind him and strained to see through the smoky haze to the upper deck of the ship where Malik and John were located. Soon his eyes burned from the heavy smoke as the fire now reached the main deck in some areas. Coughing and squinting his eyes, Jack fought to make his way to the helm, losing his balance and tripping on his feet from time to time. When he reached the top, he saw John lying on the ground unconscious and Malik standing at the wheel smiling.

"Malik, what the devil's rot are ye doing?" Jack asked frantically as he knelt down to check on the commander.

"Don't worry none, Cap'n Sparrow! Just you wait now! I'll save us yet. I won't let them bile-sucking buffoons take us so bloody easily," he calmly responded with eyes crazed and blazing from the reflection of flames from the fire.

The bell on the Sentinel continued to sound and though the helmsman turned the wheel port side to avoid the oncoming ship as much as possible, Captain Locke and his men helplessly watched in disbelief as the Raven swiftly sailed toward them with flames raging out of control and smoke billowing high above its deck. Though the fire had not yet reached the stern of the ship but burned the middle section near the galley opening, it still trapped the guards inside the captain's quarters as smoke seeped under the door and through the windows.

"Malik, turn this wretched ship now!" Jack ordered as he tried to revive the unconscious commander. "Now I said! Hard to starboard!" Paying no heed to the order, Malik focused his eyes intently on the British ship and held the wheel firm in his resolve to ram it. "This is suicide!" Jack yelled, "We'll all be killed!" With still no response from Malik, Jack called out again. "Hang your foolhardy schemes, man! Hard over, now! We need that ship to survive!"

"You need only me, and me alone to survive," he mumbled and smiled at Jack.

Determined to destroy the Sentinel at any cost, Malik continued to ignore his command, provoking Jack to anger and desperation by the man's daring insolence. Jack immediately stood up and lunged at him, knocking the rogue pirate off balance. As Malik fell to the deck, Jack grabbed the wheel in an effort to turn the Raven away from the Sentinel and swung the wheel hard to starboard. He succeeded in turning the rudder a little before Malik grabbed his legs and pulled him to the deck leaving the helm unattended. While Jack struggled with him in his attempt to get free, John recovered enough to stagger to his feet. He reached out to take hold of the wheel with his one good hand and spun it again to the starboard side. This time the ship veered sharply to the right as it drew closer to its final destination with the Sentinel.

Jack held Malik in a tight neck hold hoping to keep him restrained while John navigated the helm, but the sudden sharp movement of the ship caught him by surprise. He consequently lost his balance and loosened his grip allowing Malik to slip away from his arms. The pirate quickly stood up behind John and seized him tightly around the throat pulling him away from the wheel. He dragged the struggling commander over to the back of the ship and with a big effort pushed him over the side rail. Stunned by Malik's actions, and without further thought for his own safety, Jack ran to the side cursing Malik and pushing him out of the way. He immediately climbed the wall and with a quick appalling look at the dark water below, dove off the ship to rescue the commander. Smiling at the unexpected yet acceptable change in circumstances, Malik turned his attention back to the helm. With no time to turn back the rudder and ram the Raven head on into the Sentinel as he planned, Malik defiantly stood at the wheel humming a little tune and with a demonic smile braced himself for the oncoming impact.

Chapter 15

Suffocating in the captain's quarters as smoke continued to seep in from under the door, the trapped guards opened all windows in the cabin and leaned out to desperately get fresh air. They could not go out the door as the flames now burned the entire middle section of the ship and had already started to burn the mizzenmast and middle sails. They watched in horror as pieces of burning canvas and rope fell from above past the port side windows barely missing their heads as the debris hit the water below. It was then they heard the bell from the Sentinel and the shouts of her crew. Through the smoke they saw lights from the other ship as they rapidly sailed toward it. With looks of shock and abandoned hope at the impending collision, they clung to whatever they could for within moments, the Raven crashed loudly into the Sentinel and with a cracking, sickening, scraping sound, grazed hard against it and along its side before finally coming to a stop. The impact knocked everyone off balance on both ships, even some to the floor including Jewel, who fell from the bunk where she had been sleeping. Anxious to save themselves, the guards on the Raven got up and quickly climbed through the open windows to jump over to the deck of the Sentinel leaving Malik alone on the burning ship.

Captain Locke and his officers raced to evaluate damage due to the collision of the two ships and the impending threat of explosion from the burning Raven. He summoned the crew together and ordered them to immediately evacuate the Sentinel along the port side of the ship. Dazed and bewildered, Jewel came out onto the main deck and found herself engulfed in smoke. She had slept too soundly to hear the bell and was shocked to see that the Raven had crashed into the Sentinel and was now in flames. Alarmed by the sight, she ran to see if Jack and John were still on the burning ship. Searching through the smoke but not seeing them, she turned to look for Captain Locke and found him busy with his men lowering longboats into the water. He happened to look in her direction and saw her standing across from him looking lost and confused.

"Miss Whitbourne," he yelled out to her. "You must come now to evacuate the ship! Hurry! Come here, quickly!" He motioned with his hand, and Jewel ran over to where he was and looked down at the boats that had already been put in the water.

"Where's Jack Sparrow and Commander Riggs?" she asked terrified at the thought that they might still be on the Raven. "We can't go without them!"

"We have to leave now!" he cried. "There's no time to lose! That ship will explode taking the Sentinel down with her. Hurry now, Miss Whitbourne! The boat is ready for you!"

Frustrated and unwilling to leave without knowing the fate of Jack and John, Jewel ignored the captain's order and ran up the steps toward the helm to get a better look. When she got to the quarterdeck she was all alone, and dark smoke had already begun to thicken around her, stinging her eyes. She called out for Jack and John repeatedly until she was overcome by smoke. She finally collapsed on the deck gasping for air. Luckily a cool night breeze shifted the smoke in another direction, and Jewel breathed in some fresh air allowing her at some point to pull herself up and brace herself against the side of the ship. Soon she was breathing steadily but was not able to call out as the smoke had affected her throat with a burning sensation. She looked again at the Raven hoping to find some movement aboard her decks but saw none. With a muffled cry of hopelessness, she put her hand to her mouth and slowly slumped down to the floor of the deck, her eyes filling with tears.

Also feeling a sense of hopelessness and with a heavy heart, Captain Locke supervised as the last few boats were boarded by his crew and lowered into the dark water. As captain he knew he would be the last to leave after ensuring that all crew and guards were safely aboard the longboats and away from the endangered ship. He anxiously watched the lowering of the next two boats and was about to send a guard to find Jewel when suddenly there was a loud shout from one of his men sitting in a boat already in the water.

"There, look! There's someone in the water!"

"I see him, too," called out another guard. "Wait, there's two of them!"

A few soldiers pointed in the direction of the two floating men, and everyone turned to look for them in the darkness.

"Quick, Lieutenant! Cast out a line and bring them in!" ordered the captain.

The order was obeyed and after a few long moments of struggling to get hold of the rope, Jack and John finally grabbed it and clung to it fast while they were pulled in by several of the Sentinel crew. Once the wet and exhausted men were safely aboard the nearest longboat, Jack stood up and looked around for Jewel. Not finding her in any of the boats, he dove back into the water and swam toward the ship. The last longboat was just being lowered when Jack finally reached the side of the Sentinel. He quickly boarded the ship and found Captain Locke overseeing the last of his men loading into the small boat.

"Where's Julianne?" Jack anxiously asked pulling on his arm. The captain looked up at him, his eyes distracted and focused on the urgency of the moment. "Captain, where's Miss Whitbourne?"

"Wh…why she was just here a moment ago," he exclaimed looking around through the smoke. "I don't see her now, but we can't wait much longer! The fire and explosives! Run now and find her before the ship explodes! Hurry, and I'll wait for you."

"No, you go!" Jack yelled back at him as he raced around the main deck, then down to the lower levels until heavy, dark smoke from the burning Raven seeping in through the side portholes clouded his vision and burned his eyes.

Not wanting to stall any longer and risk endangering his crew, Locke climbed over the side into the waiting boat below and ordered the men to cast off. As the fire on the doomed ship continued to rage out of control, he helplessly watched from a safe distance and waited as his ship was about to be destroyed by the inevitable explosion of the burning Raven. Emotionally overwhelmed by the dire severity of their situation, he did not know how they could possibly survive in the water for any length of time without food and water while waiting for another ship to rescue them. He looked at the men around him, their faces lit from the light of the blazing fire, their anxious and frightened eyes focused on the Sentinel. They were all good men and had been with him for some time. A few he considered close friends. Under normal circumstances, each had their distinct rank and fulfilled their responsibility as required. Tonight they were equal with one common goal… to survive the devastation that now made them unwilling victims. Locke swallowed hard and turned his attention back to the Sentinel. He sadly thought about Miss Whitbourne and Jack Sparrow wishing now he had waited a few more minutes for them. Placing a hand over his tired eyes, he lowered his head with a deep sigh of guilt and regret.

Jack searched the ship for Jewel calling out her name and finally saw her sitting on the quarterdeck with her back against the side, her legs drawn up to her chest and her head resting on the crook of her arm. Coughing and choking from the thick smoke, he ran up the steps calling her name again and startled her when he grabbed her by the arm to help her to her feet. She was surprised and relieved to see him and flung her arms around his neck.

"Are ye alright?" he asked and held her at arm's length to look at her.

"Oh Jack, yes! Thank heavens you're alive! But where's John? Did he make it?" she asked still coughing from the smoke as well.

"He's safe, but we have to go… now!" he ordered taking her by the arm to help her down the steps and through the smoke.

"Jack, wait!" she called out to him, "I can separate the ships!"

He gave her a puzzled look.

"The medallion! The strength of the dragon will move the Raven away from the Sentinel. I know it, Jack! I must try!"

"Oh, no! Too risky! No time!" he replied regretfully still pulling her to go down the steps. "Jewel, it's too late now!"

"No! You go, Jack! I'm staying here!" she replied resolutely and quickly moved away from him taking the medallion from her pouch. "You know I have to do this! If I don't, we'll all die out here in the water. We need this ship!" At the touch of her fingers the emerald began to pulsate and glow, and her hand trembled as she raised it up to her face. Soon her breathing accelerated, and she closed her eyes feeling her body tingle as the energy of the emerald tapped into the blood surging throughout her body.

"Jack, I'm ready!" she panted. "Better stand where it's safe."

Jack knew she was right. The dragon did have the power to save the Sentinel, but what would happen once it had moved the Raven, he wondered. This situation was totally different from that in the cave, for there was no evil for the dragon to destroy this time or was there? The medallion had to be destroyed. Its power was too great to be controlled by one person, and Jewel had already completed her goal of avenging the death of Edward. Jack recalled talking to her about the medallion and suddenly remembered what she said about how to destroy it. Someone evil had to wear the medallion and confront the dragon. He thought about it for a moment then knew what he had to do.

"Alright, Jewel. Do it now! Raise the bloody beast!" he said resignedly and glanced over at the Raven.

Jewel quickly put on the medallion and began to rub the glowing eye while chanting the words to invoke the dragon spirit. Jack slowly backed away as the green mist once again began to form around her. Her breathing came fast, and suddenly she jerked her head back and finally sank to the deck on one knee with her head bowed and arms stretched beyond her head. He had seen her do this in the cave and was not surprised when after a few moments, she rose again waving her arms slowing back and forth and opened her eyes. Bright, green light shone from them as she stood still in the glow of the massive fire blazing out of control aboard the Raven that now threatened to burn and destroy the Sentinel.

The green mist rose high above her, and Jack moved farther back knowing full well what was to happen next. He fought to see through the thick mist and smoke, while the ominous spirit suddenly began to take form raising its long neck and stretching out its powerful wings high above the ship. Without a cave to confine its size, it grew larger as Jewel continued to chant. The dragon raised its head and looked out over the two endangered ships; its eyes glowing brightly with the same piercing, green light as hers.

Jack drew back in fear of the phantom dragon spirit and could no longer stay on deck with it. He ran down the steps toward the other end of the ship and safely watched while Jewel raised her arms. Barely visible against the light of the fire, the dragon raised its wings high into the dark sky, then quickly back down continuously as it slowly lifted its body off the deck where Jewel stood and at last rose up into the air. Jack looked up in time to see the giant claws draw up under the belly of the beast clearing the masts of the Sentinel, its dark wings stretched out and moving gracefully up and down carrying it high and away from the two ships. It soon disappeared into the darkness of the night and smoke, and Jack searched the sky to find it.

Suddenly Jack heard a loud cracking sound and saw one of the Raven's mast give way and fall to the deck sending up a plume of fiery embers. He knew the fire was fast approaching the ship's arsenal and looked up again, desperately searching for the dragon, their last hope of surviving this catastrophe. He finally saw its glowing eyes like shooting stars high above them circling the area. It quickly dipped down again and stopped to hover over the stern of the Raven. With spectral wings stretched out over both ships, the dragon sunk its razor sharp claws into the Raven's quarterdeck crashing through the wooden floor and grabbing hold of the deck below. Arching its back and whipping its tail from side to side, it began to slowly drag the burning ship away from the Sentinel, scraping it loudly along the ship's side until it was at last safely moving through the dark water away from them.

As the Raven slowly moved farther away, Jack stopped watching it in order to search the Sentinel for a bucket of water. Frustrated and cursing for not being able to readily find one, he frantically ran down to the ship's galley and finally saw a small empty bucket in a corner. With time running out, he found a barrel of water and filled the bucket, then carefully ran with it back up the steps to the helm where Jewel stood staring out over the water at the burning ship. Jack set the bucket on the deck near her and after catching his breath, turned again to watch as the Raven burned at a safe distance. The dense smoke soon blocked his view, and he could no longer see the dragon, only the glowing light from its eyes as it hovered over the burning ship. He continued to watch the glow until suddenly….

A tremendous, deafening blast from the Raven caught Jack off guard, and the ensuing shock wave ripped through the ship and knocked him to the deck. Overpowered by the sound, he immediately covered his ears. The raging fire had finally reached the large stockpile of gunpowder, and the ship exploded loudly in a huge, bright ball of fire shooting flames and burning debris high into the night air, lighting up the sky and eventually raining down on the water below. A large wave of water rocked the Sentinel, and Jack staggered to pull himself up. He steadied himself against the helm and went over to Jewel, who surprisingly had not fallen down. With the drifting remains of the Raven slowly sinking into the water, Jack knew it was also time for the dragon to be destroyed. He stared at the gold medallion and fixated on its emerald eye, pulsating with mystical power and sparkles of light swirling within the smooth cut surfaces of the jewel. Captivated by its beauty, he slowly reached out to touch it and suddenly felt heat and a surge of high energy electrify his senses and radiate throughout his body. Instinctively he jerked his hand away and paused to reconsider the situation.

Determined more than ever to sever the link that connected the medallion to Jewel, he took a deep breath and boldly took hold of it. Instantly his body jerked in pain as he struggled against its intense heat and energy to finally lift it over her head. When he had done so, he carefully held it in his hand and took a few more deep breaths as the medallion cooled and the pain subsided. He watched Jewel closely, unsure of her reaction and any dangerous effects and felt relieved when she raised her shoulders and arms taking in a deep breath of air. Now released from the powerful energy link of the glowing emerald, it was just a matter of minutes before she would wake up from her trance, but her mind strangely continued to hold the dragon spirit in its place away from the Sentinel. He looked at her face and saw the strain of concentration as she purposely held it at bay, as though keeping it from coming back for him.

Jewel had saved the Sentinel and the lives of all those who served on the ship including the captain, John Riggs and himself. Yet sadly Jack knew that for her there would never be any congratulations or celebration. No one would ever know all she did, for she would never reveal the secret of the dragon and the medallion. She would only try to convince everyone that he again was the hero, once more embellishing his legend for all time. Now standing there next to her, he saw the only woman who transcended all those who had come before in his life, the only one to truly touch his heart. He thought of their short time together and with an ache in that heart, he spoke to her in a quiet voice saddened with the pain of a last and final goodbye.

"Don't know if you can hear me, but ye saved the ship with yer dragon. Well done." He looked at her for some acknowledgement but none came as she continued to stare out to sea in her trance. Jack glanced away to quickly check on the dragon but could not see it. He looked back at her then down at the ground as he tried to find the right words to say. "You know me, I hate farewells. Too bloody sentimental and mushy. I've n'er been good at them, n'er had a reason to, so I won't be doin' this again. But seems I'm about out of time anyway, so this is it. I've only known ye a few days, but fer what we've been through together and fer the many times ye saved me, I'll now try to save you. I won't be seein' ye again, nor anyone else for that matter, so just do me a favor and make this count fer something. Let this be the start of yer new beginning."

Jack felt awkward speaking to her like this and was embarrassed by his own words, but what he said was true. He reached out to gently touch her face and hair. He felt the silky smoothness of her skin and gazed at her eyes through the light that still emanated from them.

"Ye came into my life and made me feel… something. Ye'll always be my Dragon Lady. No matter what happens to me, wherever my soul rests, I'll remember you. And I hope ye'll remember me as well, not as the lowly cursed pirate people will say I was, but as a man who lived life on his own terms, a man who did try to do some things right even in spite of himself."

Leaning down to look at her one last time, memories of her flooded his mind. He thought of her as Rafe, brave, naïve yet wise, fishing, cooking, fighting to protect him, and trying to make him a better man. Then again as Jewel, beautiful, soft and delicate, her powerful and courageous spirit, her skill with the knife and sword, her caring nature and love of family; remembering the glow of the sunset on her face, the sparkle in her eyes, her smile and tender kiss. He touched her hair once again and as he turned away from her to confront the dragon, a single tear slowly rolled down her cheek. He strained to see through the darkness and just barely made out the dragon's form as it continued to hover over burning debris floating in the water. He had to act now or Jewel would come out of the trance and the dragon disappear. He could not let his only chance to destroy the golden medallion be lost. Moving a few steps away from her, he searched for the dragon again and finally in desperation called out to the beast waving his hands high in the air to get his attention.

"I'm here, dragon! Hasten now and come away. Look into m' black heart and know that Captain Jack Sparrow of the mighty Black Pearl is ready and waitin' fer ye. Fulfill my destiny and yours! I command you now… show yer bloody self and bring swift justice to us both!"

With his last thought of the Black Pearl and his men, Jack waited for the dragon to come toward him and for the green mist to rise up and encircle him, but it did not come. Not wanting to wait any longer nor lose his nerve, he held up the medallion and called again to the dragon but in vain. Frustrated and not knowing what else to do, he finally glanced around to look at Jewel just as she turned her face toward the steps of the deck. He suddenly heard loud footsteps behind him and quickly spun around to find Malik running up the steps waving a pistol at him.

"Malik, you devil's spawn! This is all yer doing! How is it ye're still alive?"

"Oh, let's not have harsh words between us, Cap'n. But like you said, I am the devil's spawn," he replied with a knowing smirk. "I crossed over before that... beast moved the ship. Though, interesting thing about that medallion, eh, Sparrow? I've been watchin', and now I know its power. I intend to 'ave it so it's power will be my power. So, hand it over, Sparrow! Now!" Jack stared at him then narrowed his eyes with a trace of a smile, his mind formulating a plan.

"Aye, tis true enough, mate. He who wears the magic medallion has great power with the prospect of untold glory and treasure. But I have it now, so why would I just hand it over to you? How d' ye know I just won't command the dragon to tear yer measly, rotten guts out?"

Malik pointed the pistol toward Jewel.

"This is how I know. Ye let the woman get to ye, Sparrow, just like the Brit." Malik scoffed and cocked the pistol. "What a surprise! The mighty Jack Sparrow reeled in by a woman. Some legend!"

"Captain Jack Sparrow," Jack murmured under his breath, then with a slight gleam in his eye, "But ye're right, Malik, so stand down!" Jack paused still wary of Malik's finger on the trigger. "I'll give ye the bloody thing! Here, take it! And to the devil with ye and yer black soul!"

Jack handed the medallion over to Malik who grabbed it and quickly put it around his neck. With the pistol still pointed at Jewel, he began to rub the emerald eye with his other hand. She slowly turned her face toward him, and green rays of light from her eyes shown upon him like a beacon illuminating his body in its bright, luminous glow. Soon swirls of green mist began to circle about him as she slowly waved her arms back and forth. Startled by her sudden arm motion, Malik pointed the pistol at her face.

"Stop now, witch, or be blown off this ship!"

Jewel continued and the mist grew denser around him. Provoked by her actions, he tried to pull the trigger but could not move his hands or fingers.

"Hey, what's goin' on here?" he called out. "What's happenin'? I can't move! Sparrow, help me!" As Malik struggled in vain to free himself from the light's unyielding hold on him, the pistol fell to the deck. Jack suddenly saw movement in the distance behind Malik, and as he narrowed his eyes to focus more clearly, he gasped and immediately jumped back when he saw the dragon's silhouette rise from the burning ruins of the Raven, its green eyes glowing and wings stretched out and gracefully moving up and down as it slowly flew toward them.

"Sorry, mate," Jack whispered to the doomed pirate all the while keeping his eyes on the rapidly approaching specter. "Yer evil greed has undone ye and fer naught for at last the dragon comes fer ye. Guess ye just didn't say the magic words, and now ye're about to join the rest of yer crew, so say hello to Hawk for me!"

Malik felt his body slowly rise from the deck and be held suspended in the green haze surrounding him. Terrified, he fought against the force that bound him and could hardly kick his legs yet his boot caught the outer edge of the water bucket and knocked it over as he rose higher in the air. Now panicking, Jack knew there was not any time left to get more water. Malik had the medallion, and the dragon was poised and ready to strike as he came closer. Malik continued to struggle but to no avail as the mist drew him higher up and closer to the dragon's face. When he finally screamed again for help, the mist swirled rapidly around him, turning him to face the dragon. With fiery, green eyes blinding its captive, the phantom spirit slowly opened its mouth, its long, pointed black tongue slithering in and out over sharp, jagged teeth, and soon flames of fire started to form deep in its throat. With no time to think of his own fear, Jack ran toward Jewel, grabbed her around the waist, and jumped over the side of the ship dragging her down with him into the deep, dark water below.

Suspended within the green mist, Malik's fear suddenly softened into a strange serenity. He closed his eyes, and immediately the eye of the medallion began to glow with the crimson color of blood as did his own eyes when the pirate finally opened them again. His strength and energy were without equal, and he easily broke the hold of the mist, raising his hands triumphantly to his chest to caress the medallion and rub the jewel. The dragon, caught in the mesmerizing glow of those burning red eyes, instantly reared up with wings spread outward and flapping to thwart the powerful rays of evil bursting forth from the eyes of the possessed pirate. Not able to match his power, the dragon began to falter and weaken, its visage contorted with the look of pain and death while high-pitched screams bellowed loudly from its fiery mouth. Malik released the medallion and raised his arms out toward the dragon compelling the mist to envelop the hapless creature.

"Minion of my making, rescind thy sacred vow,

And serve a mightier master; come bow before me now.

Forsake all former allegiance to past and present cause,

And gain perpetual power through my omnipotent laws.

Go forth, and do my bidding, bring fire to the fore,

And together we will forge a new world evermore."

Malik drew in his hands then cast them outward again. A flash of light exploded above the dragon into blue flames, which flowed down and quickly engulfed the tortured dragon spirit.

"Now we are one!" he gloated and with another motion of his hand, both dragon and pirate disappeared in the darkness leaving only a dissipating white mist hovering over the water and scattered burning debris of the Raven.

From the longboats floating away from the Sentinel, Captain Locke and his men heard the explosion and destruction of the Raven and watched as burning debris rose high into the air and fell back again to the water. Shortly after, they saw a brilliant flash of light appear high over the Sentinel then quickly disappear, leaving several trails of blue light which quickly vanished in the darkness. Not having seen the Raven's departure nor fully understanding how the Sentinel survived the explosion, Captain Locke took a few moments to consider whether it was now safe to return to the ship. The welfare of his crew came first and though he still was not certain they were out of danger, he nonetheless finally gave the order for the boats to return to the Sentinel.

In another boat Commander Riggs sat devastated with his head hung down toward his chest. He had also heard the explosion and not knowing the fate of Julianne and Jack, could only surmise the worst. He could not understand how one renegade pirate could cause all this havoc, for Malik did not seem the type to go up against the many soldiers on board the Raven. Still he did, and after Malik threw him overboard, John knew he was alive only because of the efforts of Jack Sparrow. Though they had earlier been adversaries, he had a lot to thank him for, and it pained him to think that Jack was now dead. He also thought of the lovely Julianne. He had been attracted to the young woman at first, but she seemed to favor the quirky pirate so he hoped they were together in the end.

The boats slowly made their way back to the Sentinel, and by the time they reached the ship, the sky began to show the first signs of daybreak. The men boarded the ship and by order of the captain began a full search for any survivors and an assessment for damage. After some time it became painfully evident that there was no trace of the pirate captain or young woman and aside from some minor damage to the starboard side where the Raven had collided and scraped hard along the side, the ship appeared to be seaworthy. With his injured shoulder redressed and in a new sling, Commander Riggs stood by the side of the ship and stared out over the water as pieces of debris from the Raven occasionally floated by. Lost in thought over the demise of Jack and Julianne, he sadly closed his eyes and said a final prayer as Captain Locke gave orders to make ready to sail. Presently the captain walked over to him.

"Any sign of them?" he quietly asked as he came up from behind and put a hand on the commander's good shoulder. Startled at first, John finally shook his head and continued to stare at the water.

"Still too dark to tell," John replied. "I just don't understand what happened. The ships were together, side by side, weren't they? So how could the Raven explode and the Sentinel be undamaged? It just doesn't make sense, Henry."

"It doesn't have to make sense. It was a miracle, I'd say," the captain surmised, and John turned to look at him. "Let's just be grateful the Sentinel was spared and we're safe."

"You're right, and I am grateful. But somehow they did it, you know. Jack Sparrow and Julianne. I don't know how, but together they saved the ship, and now they're…. gone."

"I'm sorry, John."

Visibly upset over the situation, John continued.

"Julianne was right all along, but I didn't want to believe it. After all, he was a pirate, a fugitive from the law, a blight upon all good, law-abiding citizens in this area. Yet, in spite of his reputation, Sparrow really was a decent man. In a matter of two days, he saved my life four times. Four times, Henry!" He shook his head again. "No, he didn't deserve this. But I'll make sure he gets credit for all he did. I was there. I'm a witness."

"It's a shame he can't hear your accolades for him," the captain commented nodding his head. After a pensive moment, John smiled in retrospect.

"Funny thing, Captain. The pirate was a bloody hero after all!"

The two men stood in silence looking out over the water until the captain at last turned to look at the young officer who, still bewildered over the situation, silently mourned the loss of the pirate and the girl.

"John, why don't you go lie down for a while and rest. I'll let you know when we see the Black Pearl. Now, I'm just wondering what I'll say to the woman's father when we eventually meet up with him," he said thoughtfully.

"The truth, Henry," he replied. "She also gave her life trying to save the Sentinel and this crew." With that said, John turned and sadly walked away from him.

All longboats were put aboard the ship and secured. With everything else now ready, Captain Locke gave final orders for the crew to resume their course to rendezvous with the Black Pearl and pick up their soldiers. John went down to the officer's quarters and lay down in one of the bunks. Over the past few days, he had gotten little sleep, and it felt good to rest his head on a pillow. He could hear snoring coming from the crew berth's deck for most of the crew had also been sent to their quarters to get some sleep leaving just a handful to man the ship.

Though exhausted, John focused his thoughts on his last memories of being on the Raven, struggling to understand what had happened and why. He remembered playing cards with Jack, laughing and drinking, and then suddenly smoke, Malik, and finally Jack pulling him out of the water. Jack had gone back to the Sentinel to get Julianne. The last time he saw him, Jack was reaching out to her on the quarterdeck, but thick smoke quickly descended on them, and then they were gone. With a deep sigh, John closed his eyes and an image of Julianne appeared in his mind, an image of her standing bravely before three pirates with a sword in her hand. She never told him where she learned to handle a sword and throw a knife. After a moment he sadly sighed again, knowing the mysteries surrounding the beautiful Julianne and her pirate, Jack Sparrow, would always remain so. Strange though, he thought to himself, he missed them now and wondered what had really happened to them on the ship. While he continued to ponder their disappearance, his exhausted mind relaxed and finally succumbed to his body's overwhelming need for sleep. As he slept he began to dream, and soon a black haze filled his subconscious.

Heavy dark smoke clouded his vision, yet John could hear the crackling sounds of wood burning close by. He felt along the side of the ship, and suddenly the smoke cleared before his eyes. Slowly and cautiously looking around, he saw that he was alone and deserted. The ship was devoid of sound except for the creaking of masts and constant flapping of sails, which only served to remind him of the torturous feeling of abandonment that now gripped his heart. He soon heard a sound in the distance and felt relief when he saw a familiar ship slowly approaching on the starboard side, but that sense of relief quickly faded away when he saw raging flames of fire devouring the deck, masts, and sails and sending sparks and thick, black smoke billowing high into the air.

It was the Raven, and as the ship slowly moved past the Sentinel, John saw the strange, smiling figures of Jack and Julianne standing at the helm and waving at him. Confused and with lost eyes, he sadly watched them sail by then saw Julianne turn back and look at him.

"Seek out our faces in just the right places.

Go back, go back whence you came."

Panic-stricken at the thought of being left behind and alone, John called out to them and desperately ran to the stern of the ship, hoping they would come back. He watched as they faded away, and the Raven instantly became drifting debris of smoldering wood scattered in the water soon hidden behind another cloud of smoke. In total despair with tears in his eyes, he stood there gazing at the smoke and slowly waved his hand as the strange message repeated itself over and over again in his mind.

John suddenly awoke and winced in pain as he struggled to sit up. Breathing heavy and staring down at the floor, he tried to make sense of his dream, but what stood out most in his mind was Julianne's haunting words to go back. With his good hand, he wiped real tears from his eyes and perspiration from his brow then straightened up.

"Of course. That's it! We've got to go back!"

With no time to waste, John jumped out of the bunk, ran up the steps looking for the captain, and finally saw him on the quarterdeck talking with his other officers. He hurried toward him dodging members of the crew as they worked diligently to clean up the debris from the Raven that had fallen on the decks during the night.

"Captain!" he called out loudly. "Captain Locke!" He raced up the steps to the top deck stumbling along the way, then grabbed the surprised captain by the arm and pulled him off to the side away from the helm and the other officers.

"John, what's going on?" the captain asked, taken aback by John's rash behavior.

"Captain, we have to turn the ship back immediately!" he declared with labored breath. "I know where Jack Sparrow and Julianne are!"

"What are you talking about? They're dead, John! Killed in the explosion! You know that!" John smiled at him and frantically shook his head.

"No, sir, they're alive! I… I can't explain how I know, I just do! Please, sir, we must go back and get them!"

"This is nonsense, Commander! You really expect me to turn this ship around and sail all the way back to where we were based on something you can't even explain?" Knowing he was right, John beseechingly looked him in the eyes.

"Captain, you know me! I'm not one for whimsical or false declaration, so please believe me now! I've never been so sure about anything as I am about this. I know they're alive, but if we don't try to find them, we condemn them to a watery grave!" John paused to catch his breath. "Remember our oath to aid and protect all citizens of the realm. Sir, like it or not, that would include… Jack Sparrow."

The captain saw the determined and resolute look on John's face and was not quite sure what to make of his claim. He sighed and thought for a moment then in the back of his mind he suddenly remembered hearing a voice somewhere saying that Jack Sparrow was a good man and making a promise not to do him any harm. He thought it strange that he should think of that now and debated whether ignoring John's request would be considered harm to Jack Sparrow. He turned to look out over the water to ponder John's request. His thoughts were interrupted when John abruptly grabbed his arm.

"Please, Henry!" John pleaded. The captain looked at him again and this time saw the look of frantic desperation on his face. He sighed again and presently called out to his helmsman.

"Mr. Hart, turn the ship about! Set course back to where we left the Raven."

John closed his eyes and took a deep breath, after which he looked at the captain with gratitude and sighed.

"Thank you, sir. I know they're alive! You'll see!"

"Well, John, I hope you're right," Henry said with a stern look. "I'm doing this for you because we're friends, and though I don't fully understand it, I can see from your behavior you have for some reason a strong connection to them. I hope this makes up for the times Sparrow saved your life."

"Not hardly, but it's a start."

Henry again put his hand on John's shoulder with a doubtful yet understanding smile then took his leave to talk to the other officers who now wondered what was going on. John waited a few minutes to calm down then quickly walked to the ship's bow to watch as the Sentinel made a sharp turn to the starboard side and broke through the waves back to where they had come. He glanced up at the sails from time to time and was grateful to see they were full of air and carrying them toward their destination. He silently prayed they would continue to do so since time was critical if they were to be successful in rescuing Jack and Julianne.

Carefully he searched the water with the scope Jack had given him, looking for any remains of the Raven that might be floating around, and after an hour he began to see the first signs of the Raven's wreckage. Scattered pieces of charred wood entangled with scorched material from a few sails floated near the Sentinel's hull, and John leaned over the ship's side to check out the debris as best he could. Knowing they were getting close and looking through the scope again, he scanned the area for any signs that Jack and Julianne might still be alive and out on the water. He thought about his dream and saw Julianne in his mind. Again the words 'go back' came to him and in a whisper he made a vow to her.

"I will find you!"

Chapter 16

"Go back, go back!" Jewel quietly repeated as she sat with her legs crossed on the partially burnt door of Hawk's cabin. With her eyes closed, she concentrated on John and hoped that she still had some power left to send him a message through her thoughts. Transmitting thoughts to another took great energy and complete focus when that other person was within a short distance, but not knowing how far away John was and without the medallion demanded much more from her than she thought she could give. Afterward, she decided to rest and glanced over at Jack as he lay asleep in the warmth of the morning sun. She watched him for a few minutes then looking at the debris in the water, wondered what had happened while she was in the trance, for she only remembered chanting and rubbing the emerald then looking at Jack before he finally faded from her mind. Sometime later, as if in a dream, she thought she heard his voice whispering to her, but she could not remember what he said. Smiling now as she continued to watch him, Jewel was glad he was able to sleep knowing how exhausted he must be after all they had been through together. Feeling the drain of exhaustion herself, she lay down next to him, closed her eyes, and thought back on the events of the last few hours.

Although with no recollection of all that had happened, Jewel knew the dragon had saved the Sentinel before the doomed Raven exploded. Still it was a great shock, she recalled, when she suddenly woke up under water not knowing what was happening and feeling someone pull her up to the surface. Jack had held her close as he struggled to find the nearest piece of wreckage big enough to support them. She had been too weak to swim herself, but he pulled her through the water and soon after felt his strong arms push her up onto the door, then himself, only to finally collapse on the door breathing heavily.

After he had fallen asleep, she remembered looking out over the water through the pale darkness of morning and seeing the Sentinel. Though they had drifted some distance away, she also saw the last remains of the Raven slowly sink under the water causing large ripples of waves to swirl around the point of its submersion. While watching its final moments as it finally slipped away, she had instinctively reached up to touch her gold medallion, but finding it missing she could only assume that Jack had destroyed it. Sadly and with mixed emotions she tried to rationalize what he had done, and though disheartened that the prized treasure she had worked so hard to achieve was gone forever, she knew in her heart he had done the right thing.

Too tired to think about it anymore, Jewel had lay down and fallen asleep with the lapping sounds of water against the wooden door as they gently drifted farther away. She had expected the Sentinel to find and rescue them, but when she later awoke, the sun was already shining and the Sentinel gone. Without waking Jack, she sat up and immediately began to concentrate on John, hoping to bring him and the Sentinel back to look for them. After an hour or so of deep mental focus, she decided there was nothing more she could do except wait and hope that somehow John had gotten her message. Without possession of the medallion, however, she simply was not sure if she had been successful, but she knew she had to try. She had worked hard to develop and enhance the skills taught to her by the monks, and medallion or not, she still knew what to do. She sighed and felt a bit of a chill as a light breeze blew across her wet clothes. She rubbed her arms, snuggled closer to Jack, and after a few minutes fell asleep again.

The sun became brighter and hotter as several hours passed by, and soon Jack began to stir for his throat was parched and his back ached from lying all that time on the hard, wooden door. He slowly opened his eyes and was surprised to find Jewel sleeping next to him with her head against his shoulder and her arm across his chest. He rubbed his eyes with his other hand and not wanting to disturb her, slowly moved her arm so he could sit up and see where they were. Though he tried to carefully shift his body on the door, nevertheless it began to bob up and down in the water. After a few moments, Jewel opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"Jack?"

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake ye." She acknowledged him with a little smile and moved to sit up herself. She watched while he surveyed the horizon in all directions, and although he tried to be optimistic, she saw his concern when he finally looked at her.

"How could they leave us?" she asked despondently. Jack could only assume they thought he and Jewel had died in the explosion. He scanned the area again, and when he finally looked at her again, he put his arm around her shoulders hoping to encourage her.

"As I'd guess, during the night we probably drifted too far from the ship. Unlikely fer them t' see us, but ye know this don't come close to some of the things we've come up against," he said reassuringly. "Believe me, luv, I'd much rather be bobbin' with ye here on this ol' wooden door in the middle of nowhere than lookin' into the blazin' eyes of that dragon of yers."

Jewel laughed and laid her head on his shoulder. He was surprised by her action yet glad he had cheered her up a little. Still he was concerned about their situation as well and felt helpless not knowing how they would survive this time. It was one thing to go up against the human element with just your wit standing between you and death, but to be at the mercy of nature was something less predictable. He recalled the many times he had ridden out storms at sea with waves pounding on the decks and winds straining the masts close to their breaking point. Though beautiful when the elements were calm, nature could always without warning turn harsh and brutal. Much like a woman, he thought, and when he started to laugh, she turned her face to look up at him.

"What's so funny?" she asked smiling at his sudden outburst of laughter and wondering just what could possibly be so humorous given their present set of circumstances.

"Ha, I was just thinkin' of Mr. Gibbs and what he'd say about all that's happened to us since we took ye aboard the Black Pearl." He chuckled again. "Ye know, it was only… what, two days ago I was sleepin' on a hard wooden bench in Gilley's Rock, on dry land no less, and now I'm on this bloody hard wooden door in the middle of the sea. And oddly enough, it was on that bench that I first saw ye, as a woman of course, and perhaps on this door may be ..."

"The last?" she asked saddened by their desperate and seemingly hopeless situation. "Jack, I'm sorry. I know everything's been my fault. If it weren't for me, you and your men would still be in Gilley's Rock having fun and..."

"No!" he interrupted and put both hands on her shoulders. "Truth be told, I wouldn't have missed all of this with you… fer anything. And that's how I know we'll be saved. In fact, I'm havin' too much fun fer it to end now." He leaned over to look into her eyes. "How about you, Dragon Lady? Are ye ready to simply give up, or are ye willin' to face the unknown and have at least one more remarkable, phenomenal, uncommonly dangerous, and undeniably death defying adventure with good ole Cap'n Jack?" He gave her a big grin, and she nodded her head.

"Oh Jack, I do want that. But do you think any adventure can possibly be as remarkable, phenomenal, uncommonly dangerous, and undeniably death defying as the one we just had?"

"No doubt, but sliding into the stinkin', slimy belly of a giant sea monster and comin' back from Davy Jones' locker come pretty darn close, if ye ask me." Jack made a face and stuck out his tongue at the memory of those incidents.

Jewel laughed at his antics and happily reached out to take his arm. He took in a deep breath and closed his eyes. What he said was true. Knowing her was worth all that had happened, even if he were to die right then and there, floating on a charred, wooden door somewhere in the great Caribbean. He was determined, however, not to let that happen, yet without at least fresh water and shade, the chances of surviving long in the hot sun were slim. Dismal as that was, he just wanted to be with her for as long as he could. Feeling content for the moment, he opened his eyes again and stared out over the water. Suddenly something caught his attention, and he narrowed his eyes to get a clearer look. He was not quite sure but thought he saw a ship far off on the eastern horizon.

"Jewel, look there!" he whispered in her ear and quickly pointed in the direction of the ship. She turned to look where he was pointing and also saw the faint outline of what appeared to be a ship. As she turned her body to get a better look, the wooden door began to bob up and down again and almost tossed him in the water.

"Whoa, steady now!" Jack said patiently while trying to keep his balance. "I'm not quite ready for another dip in the water."

"Sorry, Jack, but that must be the Sentinel! It has to be John! I feel it!"

"How d' ye know that?"

"While you were sleeping, I spent a long time focusing my mind on him, sending him the same message to come back and look for us, though I admit, I wasn't sure if it would work."

"I hope ye're right, but we can't be sure that's the Sentinel," he replied looking again out toward the distant ship. Though reluctant to accept that possibility, her enthusiastic demeanor changed to one of disheartenment, and she turned her face to hide her disappointment. Jack was right, she thought to herself, she needed to be realistic about this. As much as she wanted to believe John had gotten her message, it was probably just another ship passing through the area, perhaps even a pirate one.

"Jewel, did ye hear me?" he asked as he put his hand on her cheek to turn her face back toward him.

"What?"

"I said, at least we know it's not the Raven. If only I had a way to get their attention, but we've got nothin' to wave but m' white shirt, and I doubt they'd see us this far away."

Jewel thought for a moment then quickly opened her leather pouch still hanging from her belt. She reached inside and took out the shiny, metal box that contained the sticky wax and stared at it.

"What are ye goin' to do with that?" Jack inquired as he watched her move the box around in her hand.

"Hopefully get their attention," she answered and carefully shifted her position on the door. "See how the sunlight reflects off the surface? I'm going to shine it at them and pray they see it."

She faced the direction of the ship and smiled to herself when she saw the sun high in the sky just over the horizon above the ship. Holding the metal box securely in her hand, she turned it at different angles allowing the rays of sunlight to reflect off its shiny surface hoping that someone on the ship would notice her signal. Realizing now what a great idea that was, Jack leaned over to hug her.

"You clever girl," he remarked with approval, and after looking at the box a moment inquired, "Say, what's in that thing anyway? Anything to eat?" Jewel began to quietly laugh as she continued to focus her attention on signaling the ship.

"Not unless you like the taste of sticky wax?" she answered with a little laugh. "That's how Rafe was able to keep his mustache and beard from falling off his face."

Jack looked at her and laughed as well. He had not thought about Rafe's skimpy beard and mustache until now, yet it nevertheless amused him to think of her as a young man and how she looked. With all that had happened since Rafe left, Jack had focused most of his attention on her as a woman. He remembered Gilley's Rock and how she looked that day on the dock when he first met her, especially her eyes and hair. He soon grinned and shook his head in disbelief.

"After seein' ye now, I still don't know how ye got away with it… bein' a man and all, and how did ye ever manage to hide… those?" Jack awkwardly pointed toward her chest. "And even with the beard and mustache yer face is just too... well... ye know... unmanly, as well as the rest of yer... uh… uh… self." He turned away mumbling, "Body… arms… lips."

Surprised by what he said, Jewel turned toward him and found him looking away from her. She sensed his embarrassment and realized that the great, legendary Captain Jack Sparrow was actually shy and awkward at times around a woman. Still she found his behavior endearing and was appreciative of his compliment, but this was not the time to think about anything other than the situation at hand, so she turned back to look at the ship still rotating the metal box in her hand. She stared at it knowing it was the only chance they had for being rescued. If the crew did not see her signal, there was little hope for them. Disregarding that possibility, she continued to focus on the ship with resolve and after a few more minutes quickly straightened up.

"Jack, look! I think the ship is coming toward us."

Jack looked out in the direction of the ship and carefully stood up on the door, balancing himself so not to pitch them into the water.

"Ye're right! By the looks of it, they saw yer signal."

He immediately took off his vest and white shirt and waved the shirt high in the air. As he did so, Jewel gazed at his bare arms and chest and remembered back on the island when she saw him like that in the pool of water. Being this close to him now though, she could see tattoos and scars on his chest where he had been wounded in previous fights. Such was the life of a pirate, yet some of the scars looked really bad, and her heart ached when she thought how he must have suffered.

After a few minutes, Jack sat down again and watched as the ship came closer apparently now aware of them. Jewel put the metal box back in her pouch while he put his shirt back on. As he finished buttoning his vest, he felt something in the pocket and after reaching in, took out Hawk's gold watch. He opened it up to see if it was damaged and was actually surprised to find it still working. Smiling at his good fortune, he put the watch back in his pocket with the other small items he had taken from Hawk's cabin. With a contented sigh, he gave her a triumphant nod, and together they sat and waited for the ship to reach them. Knowing they would soon be rescued and may not have much time to be alone, Jewel thought about the medallion again and decided to ask him about it.

"Jack, I want to thank you for pulling me out of the water," she began.

"Aye, and if ever it be I had a fear of jumpin' off the top deck into the dark sea, you and Riggs really cured me of it."

She laughed but looked at him seriously.

"I would like to know how you destroyed the medallion."

Jack looked out toward the approaching ship and moved his hand up and down her arm. He took a moment to consider his answer for he knew this moment would come and hard as it might be, she needed to know the truth.

"As it were, you were right about the dragon. It pulled the Raven far enough from the Sentinel before it exploded. Then that bilge-suckin' rat, Malik, came runnin' with a pistol demandin' the medallion, so fate have it… I gave it to him. When the dragon finally came fer him, I grabbed ye and jumped overboard." Jewel stared at him and thought about his explanation, however she soon got a puzzled look on her face after sensing there was more he had not said.

"But what if Malik hadn't shown up? What would you have done?"

Jack was hoping this would not come up, but since everything turned out well, he was ready to tell her the rest of it.

"Alright, if ye must know. First, I put m'self before the dragon with yer medallion in m' hand, but it didn't work, and it was just by devil's luck that Malik came forward when he did. If he hadn't, I reckon I'd have thrown it into the sea." She smiled at him and nodded her head.

"It didn't take you, Jack, because you're a good man. I hope you realize that now, I mean truly realize that. Instead of selfish reasons, you took the medallion because you were willing to sacrifice your life again for other people. The dragon could always recognize a hero's heart."

"How d' ye do it?" he asked shaking his head in amazement. "Ye always find a way to make me look good when you actually do all the work."

"No, Jack. This time you faced the dragon and came out the victor. You beat it with your wit and managed to save me as well. The dragon was right. You are… a hero!"

Jack knew there was no point in arguing with her, so in humble submission he simply put his hands together with a slight bow of his head. Jewel laughed, and they turned back again to look at the fast approaching ship. As he took a good long look at it, he narrowed his eyes then started to laugh, slapping his hand on his leg.

"What is it?" Jewel asked surprised by his behavior.

"Well, bleed me dry and rot m' bones!" he laughed. "I do believe that's the Sentinel. Either they've no sense of direction or…" Jack turned to look at her, "the bloody commander got yer message after all."

Jewel gave a deep sigh of relief as she watched the distant ship sail toward them. Hoping it was because of John, she quietly gave thanks in her heart. Suddenly and unexpectedly she had a peculiar feeling that gave her chills. Something was not right; something within her spirit, a foreboding within her senses alerted her of something though she knew not what. Then an eerie image of Hawk came to her mind. Not wanting to dampen the significance of the moment, she nevertheless dismissed the feeling and focused on their impending rescue with a grateful heart.

"Take in sail, Lieutenant," ordered the captain as he put his scope away. He walked toward the bow of the ship where another officer was looking out over the water in the direction where flashes of light were earlier seen. As the captain came to stand next to the young man, he took out his scope and once again checked the bearings of whatever was floating out there in the open sea. Afterward he put his hand on the officer's arm.

"Seems there's definitely someone out there, John, and it won't be long before we're able to send out a boat to bring them in. Just a short while ago we saw someone waving a white flag of sorts, so it could very well be your Jack Sparrow. Why don't you take a look yourself."

The captain waited as John took his scope and surveyed the area. He soon nodded his head in agreement that something was indeed floating out in the water.

"I see them! Thanks, Henry," he said gratefully as he returned the scope.

"You can thank yourself. You were right about coming back, and all I can say is thank heavens you believed in your intuition and stood your ground."

John gave him an appreciative smile as the captain patted his arm and took his leave to walk to his quarters. John turned back to stare out at the water, squinting his eyes to get a better look at the makeshift raft that slowly came into view as the ship approached it. Within the hour, Captain Locke ordered a boat launched from the Sentinel to pick up the two drifters from the water. They were soon brought aboard the ship, and John watched from a short distance away, happy that Jack and Jewel were still alive and now safe. He was still amazed he had dreamt of them and heard Jewel's voice speaking to him knowing full well that had he not, the Sentinel would not have turned back to look for them. As John reflected back on his dream and waited for the right time to come forward, Captain Locke went over to greet the wet and tired drifters and immediately ordered blankets for them.

"Captain Sparrow, Miss Whitbourne. Welcome back! I can't tell you how happy we are that you both survived the explosion. Now, please come to my quarters to rest and dry off."

Jack wearily nodded his head, and the captain motioned for the lieutenant to escort them to his quarters. Afterward he walked over to John, who watched as Jack and Jewel went into the quarters and closed the door.

"We'll give them a few minutes to recuperate then take them some food and water," Captain Locke said casually to the commander. "When that time comes, we'll go see them together. I need answers as to what happened to the Raven, and I'm sure you want to speak with them as well." John nodded his head in agreement.

"Good. Now go down to the galley and have them prepare some food for our guests while I get us back on course for Antigua."

"Aye, sir," John responded and immediately turned to go down to the galley as ordered. Meanwhile in the captain's quarters, Jewel lay in the bunk wrapped in one of the warm blankets, while Jack sat in a chair with his eyes closed.

"We're going to be alright, Jack," Jewel said softly as she watched him. "I sense the Black Pearl isn't too far from us now."

Without opening his eyes, Jack smiled at her remark. He was thinking of the Black Pearl and remembering how it felt to walk upon her decks, to look up at her black sails as they filled with wind warmed by the Caribbean sun, and to sit in his captain's chair with his legs propped up taking long sips from a tankard of rum. He longed to finally settle in his bunk listening to the sound of water and wind against the ship and to once more feel the motion of the sea as it gently lifted and carried the ship across white-capped waves to exotic destinations and adventures. Aye, he thought. He had had enough of being tied up or shackled, under water, dodging dragons, and rubbing shoulders with the British. He was just tired and wished to be back on the Pearl.

"Alright, Mr. Gibbs, where the blisterin' blazes are ye?" he finally said after opening his eyes and standing up. Impatiently he paced the cabin floor glancing at Jewel from time to time as she lay in the bunk watching him. Just then there was a knock on the door, and Captain Locke and John walked in each holding a plate of food and fresh water. They placed the food and water on the table and looked at their bedraggled guests.

"Please, have something to eat. You must be hungry after your ordeal," the captain said as he pulled out a chair for Jewel.

Jewel rose from the bunk and sat down at the table with Jack, who hungrily stared at the food with gratitude.

"Uh, thanks for coming back fer us," Jack said as he picked up a biscuit.

"Actually, Captain Sparrow, it was at the insistence of Commander Riggs that we turned back to look for you. I…uh, frankly thought you and Miss Whitbourne had perished in the explosion." Jack and Jewel both turned to look at John, who, feeling a bit awkward as they stared at him, shrugged his shoulders.

"I don't know why, but I simply had a strong feeling you both were still alive," he explained with a humble smile. Jewel nodded her head and smiled back knowing exactly how he got that strong feeling. Even Jack smiled at him remembering what Jewel had said earlier about contacting him with her thoughts. John next turned his attention to Jack.

"You saved me when Malik threw me overboard, Captain, and I didn't get a chance to thank you before you disappeared and in..."

"So I take it, you came all that long way back… just to thank me?" Jack interrupted with a dubious look on his face.

"No!" John laughed, "Like I said… I just knew you both were still alive." Finally looking at Jewel, he said, "Julianne... I saw you in a dream. You told me to come back for you and Jack. You must've known I would."

"I wasn't sure about it," she said gratefully, "But yes, I knew. Thank you for saving us." John nodded and slowly turned to leave the cabin though not quite sure he understood how she knew he would come back, but before going through the door, he once again looked at Jack.

"Somehow, you saved us and the ship, Captain Sparrow, and it seems your heroics are becoming quite a regular thing these days," he remarked, "I wouldn't be surprised if they made you Commodore after all this." Captain Locke and Jewel laughed as Jack weakly smiled and nodded his head. "By the way, I don't believe we finished our game of cards," John added with a gleam in his eye, but before Jack could respond, John gave him a quick salute and cordially left the cabin. Captain Locke watched as John left then looked at his two guests.

"I don't know what your relationship is to the commander, other than the fact that he feels obligated to you, Captain Sparrow but whatever it is, I, for one, am grateful for it. He saved your life today. But now, please eat and rest. I'll come back later to check on you, and I do want to ask..."

"Captain Locke, sir," cried a voice with a loud knocking on the cabin door. The captain opened the door and found his lieutenant standing there with news.

"Captain, two ships have been sighted in the distance off port side."

Captain Locke tipped his hat to them both and with the lieutenant quickly left to check on the new sighting. After he closed the door, Jack quickly ran to one of the open windows on the port side of the ship and looked out. He could just barely make out the two ships on the horizon but felt confident one of them had to be the Pearl.

"Yes, by thunder!" he said elatedly and ran over to Jewel grabbing and swinging her around the room. Startled, she held onto him tightly.

"Jack Sparrow, what's gotten into you?" she laughed as he set her down.

"Why, m' lady, forthcoming freedom and the prospect of a long overdue, good night's sleep," he answered and danced a little jig clapping his hands and whistling a little tune. He reached out again to put his arm around her waist lifting her off the ground and spinning her around the room a few times.

"Jack, stop! You're making me dizzy!" Jewel cried out.

"Aye, and m' self," he replied as he suddenly stopped. Unable to focus his eyes and keep his balance, he stumbled and fell backward to the floor pulling her down on top of him. Jack checked to make sure she was not hurt and began to laugh. He soon had her laughing until they were both out of breath. Lying on his chest and breathing heavily from all the exhilaration, Jewel looked down at him. Her hair hung down on each side of his face tickling his skin, and her face was flushed from the excitement of the moment. With a big grin he looked up at her then with a serious look in his eyes, put his hand behind her head and gently pulled her face down toward his. Sensing his intentions she started to resist, but in a sudden, smooth motion he turned her over and had her down on her back next to him with her head resting on his arm and his other arm braced against the floor on the other side of her face. Surprised by her unexpected position, Jewel looked up at him and calmly waited.

"You'd do well to surrender, my dear," he whispered, "seein' as I've got ye now."

"Really, Captain, you think so?" she whispered back coyly. "Have you forgotten who I am, and what I can do? I'm the Dragon Lady, remember? But just so you know, Jack, I actually have you where I want you."

"Ye do?" Jack laughed as he slowly lowered his face toward hers. "And just what d' ye intend to do now?"

"This," she responded and moved her hands up along each side of his body. Jack suddenly felt her fingers digging slightly into the skin under his arms, then move quickly back and forth tickling him until he could not stay still. He tried to push her hands away, but she managed to keep at him until he finally burst out laughing. Squirming around to escape her grasp, he moved away from her just as the cabin door opened, and Captain Locke suddenly walked in with his lieutenant.

"Captain Sparrow!"

"Aye, sir. Thank goodness ye're here," Jack responded trying to clear his throat. "Can someone wet a cloth and bring it over to Miss Whitbourne? She fell and hit her head. I, uh, was just checkin' on 'er when ye walked in."

"Lieutenant, please go and wet a cloth," said the Captain to his officer as he went over to check on the young woman.

"We were about to knock when we heard a loud outburst. Miss Whitbourne, are you alright?" asked the captain as he and Jack helped her to her feet.

"I'm fine, Captain Locke, thank you," she answered and went to sit in one of the chairs. "I guess I'm still rather weak and tired from everything that's happened. I just stood up too fast and got… dizzy."

"Well, please rest now, my dear. Your father's not far from here, and I'm sure you want to be strong when he arrives. Here, you should probably eat some more food." Jewel agreed and quickly looked over at Jack who stood by the side with a big grin glancing around the room. She rolled her eyes at him as Captain Locke applied the damp cloth to her forehead.

"Thank you again, but I can assure you, I'm perfectly alright… now." she said patting her face with the cloth and giving Jack a subtle glance.

"Very well. Now, Captain Sparrow. I'll need you to come on deck as your ship will soon be docking with us."

Jack made a motion toward the door with his hand, and Captain Locke and his lieutenant left the cabin before him. As Jack followed them out, he turned back to look at Jewel and with another grin, pointed a finger at her.

"I know yer little trick now, woman, so next time ye won't be gettin' away so easily," he whispered and closed the door behind him.

"Next time, Jack, I won't want to get away," she laughed to herself, but then realizing she was soon going to see her father, she quickly jumped up and went over to the water basin and mirror to clean up. Jewel looked at her dirty, damp clothes, and men's clothes at that. She could not meet her father looking the way she did and regretted not having had the forethought to get another dress out of Hawk's closet before boarding the Sentinel. Of course, the Raven was gone now and all those beautiful dresses destroyed. She knew the Sentinel would probably not have dresses on board being strictly military, but just to make sure, she went over to Captain Locke's closet and peeked in.

Disappointed but as she expected, she found no dresses rather several clean shirts, so hoping the captain would not mind, she took one out and laid it on the bunk. After a thorough cleansing of her face and body, Jewel put on the clean shirt and dried her breeches and boots as best she could. She next found a comb and tied her hair back securing it with the ribbon she had earlier used. She looked at herself with mixed feelings for the sleeves hung past her shoulders and down past her hands. Having no other choice, she rolled up the sleeves and feeling better now about her appearance, walked out the door and onto the main deck to search for Captain Locke and Jack. The crew of the Sentinel was busy with their normal duties of taking care of the decks and sails. Jewel purposely kept to the side and out of their way and presently saw the captain and his officers at the bow of the ship looking through their scopes toward the two advancing ships. To get a better look herself, she leaned a bit over the side of the ship holding onto a rope and finally saw the ships bringing her father to her. The reality of his being so near suddenly made her nervous, and she felt an empty void in the pit of her stomach. Still a little shaky and not seeing Jack around, she went back to Captain Locke's cabin and ate a little more of the food left on the table. Afterward she closed her eyes to focus on calming her nerves and after taking several deep breathes, she was ready to go out once again and wait for her father.

Looking back at the Sentinel through their scopes, Commander Lanksbury and his lieutenant had not expected to find another British ship in the immediate area and wondered why she was here. With their rendezvous point with Hawk still some distance away, the commander was not quite sure if the presence of the Sentinel would help their plan or hinder it, but he was anxious to dock with the ship all the same.

"Lieutenant, heave to and bring the ship alongside of her and be sure the Black Pearl complies as well!"

As the young lieutenant hurried to follow his orders, Richard Whitbourne approached the commander and asked about the other British ship for he too had misgivings about her untimely presence in the area.

"It's the Sentinel out of Port Royal," the commander responded. "Seems a little far off their normal area of patrol, but we're going to find out what's going on. Maybe they have information about Hawk and the Raven."

Richard agreed and watched as the crew took in some sails. The commander excused himself and walked briskly to the helm where his other officers had assembled to discuss their next course of action. With the Sentinel just a short distance away, they signaled the Black Pearl, and soon the two ships were on course to dock alongside the Sentinel once they reached her.

From the bow of the Black Pearl, Gibbs also looked through his scope at the Sentinel hoping they had not spotted the Raven, thus foiling their plans to meet up with Hawk. As previously agreed the crew of the Pearl followed the orders of Commander Lanksbury and quickly furled some of the sails for the final approach to the British vessel. Though he naturally felt, as a pirate, somewhat uncomfortable having yet another British ship so close by, Gibbs had to admit the appearance of this ship meant more strength to their efforts in rescuing Jack and the others, and the firepower now existing between the three ships would definitely bring about the end of the Raven and her crew.

As the Black Pearl sailed closer to the Sentinel, Gibbs continued to look through his scope and clearly saw two British officers standing at the bow of the ship. As they spoke to one another and occasionally pointed toward the two approaching ships, another man came to join them. He wore no uniform, and when Gibbs looked more closely at the man's face, he saw small flashes of light reflecting off things hanging down from his head. He suddenly cried out for it was a face he recognized all too well.

"Jack! What the fiery blazes is goin' on there?" Finally turning to the crew he loudly announced, "Men! I don't know how or why, but by heaven's grace, Jack Sparrow's on that ship and lookin' pretty much alive!" Shaking his head in amazement, he ran back toward the helm. "Men, be ready to secure the sides! Jonesy, steady at the helm now, mate, bring 'er slowly along port side. Carlos, you and Cotton be ready fer the plank. Marty, have the men take in more sail!"

From the deck of the Sentinel, Jack eagerly looked through the scope of one of the officers and watched as the Pearl came closer into view. Though still a good distance away, he was able to recognize some of his crew. He smiled and his heart beat fast with excitement, the kind one feels at finally reuniting with a long lost friend or loved one. From where he stood he took in all the Pearl's splendor, for he never tired of looking at her, always proud of her great strength and endurance, the beauty of her markings, her black sails and riggings.

"My beautiful Pearl," he said under his breath. "I can see ye missed me, but I'll put life back into ye, as ye always put life into me." Just then Jewel walked up and took his arm. She put her head against his shoulder patiently watching the two ships as they slowly approached.

"It's almost over now, Jack."

Sadly he had to agree, knowing their time together was coming to an end. He thought about Jewel's reunion with her father and was happy for her, glad she was still safe and able to go home with him. As he looked at her, he remembered what Rafe had said about the one woman who would turn his life around. He had to smile for she had not only turned it around, but upside down as well. As happy as he was about having the Pearl back, his heart was saddened by her imminent departure. Yet he was also comforted knowing that with her position, beauty, and wealth, it certainly would not be long before someone worthy of her would capture her heart.

"I'm scared," she whispered and clutched his arm tighter.

"You, Dragon Lady… Scared?" Jack asked surprised by her remark. "Ye spent years away from your family alone in a strange land. Ye fought the most ruthless pirate in all these waters and won. With a dragon, no less, ye defeated Hawk and his men. Ye stood in the face of fire and being stranded at sea and still survived. Ye risked yer life time after time to save me. Ye're the bravest person I've ever known, so you can n'er be scared. Yer father is here fer ye just like ye've been wishin'. Now ye can begin to live again. Now ye can start over and forget all this. Now ye can go home."

"And forget you?" Jewel looked at him demurely. "After all this time together, fighting the enemy and struggling to stay alive, compared to you, Jack, any other man would simply be … boring. I doubt any woman could ever forget you once you've flashed those gold teeth at her."

Jack grinned for her, and her heart melted. She thought about him and with a deep sigh, put her hand softly on his cheek. She knew her life would never be as it once was. The violence surrounding Edward's death and the consequent chain of events culminating in the death of Hawk and his men had changed her. Yet she still felt trapped somehow, not knowing quite how to put it all behind her and start a new life. She felt she was on the verge of some new beginning and was grateful for all Jack had done to get her there.

Chapter 17

As Jack and Jewel continued to watch the two oncoming ships, a sudden blast of wind blew hard against the Sentinel knocking those on the upper deck off balance when waves surged high over one side of the ship. Water moved barrels and other items hazardously around the deck while the crew clung to anything that kept them from being swept overboard. The helmsman fought to keep the ship under control as another large wave crashed against it. Clouds gathered and quickly darkened while bright bolts of lightning ripped across the sky followed by loud clashes of thunder. With the wind and the pull of the sails, the masts swayed perilously close to their breaking point, but just as quickly as it came, the wind and the waves died down again. With no breeze, the ship's sails hung like washed linen on a line as the ship slowed its pace and floated aimlessly on the smooth water. Another bolt of lightning struck nearby, and the deafening clap of ensuing thunder sent the crew and officers shouting and scurrying for shelter.

Jack grabbed Jewel by the arm and ran for cover under the steps leading to the upper deck. After a moment, the thunder and lightning stopped, and all was eerily silent. Jack slowly turned his head listening for a sound, any sound… perhaps the creaking of the mast or deck, even murmurs of a frightened crew, but when none was heard he cautiously leaned out from under the steps to survey the ship until something in the sky caught his attention. The amassing clouds continued to darken and shift ominously as a funnel of swirling wind began to form directly above them and slowly descend. Jack had heard tales of such occurrences in nature but had never seen it himself. His eyes widened in alarm as the funnel continued its descent upon the ship.

The wind picked up speed with a deafening roar and waves began to toss the ship back and forth. Several sails broke free from the ropes and riggings that held them in place causing them to flap wildly. Just when it seemed more damage would befall the ship, the funnel miraculously shifted off the starboard side and touched down on the sea a safe distance from them. Water and spray pummeled the Sentinel with a fury as the water churned and swirled with the fast movement of the funnel. Amid the roaring sounds of the wind, a whirlpool formed sucking water down into its center, and soon a mass of floating pieces of debris from the doomed Raven strangely came into view and moved toward it. When they reached the whirlpool's edge and plunged into the watery abyss, the funnel suddenly weakened and disappeared.

Jack ran to the side of the ship and watched with alarm as the raging, swirling gap in the sea's surface opened wider still to swallow the floating remnants of the sunken ship. More debris followed, even that which had already settled deep beneath the water's depths; large wooden planks, the broken hull, charred masts, sails and riggings, the helm's wheel and even the captain's door upon which they had been rescued only hours before. Within minutes all was consumed within the whirling wall of water. The rotating waves then caught the Sentinel in its wake, and she began to move in a circular motion around it.

"Jack! We have to get off the deck!" Jewel tugged on his arm in a desperate attempt to pull him away from the side, but though he had seen this before, he could not take his eyes off the harrowing sight. Darkness spread ominously across the sky while they drifted dangerously close to the whirlpool. With a heavy yank, she finally got his attention. "Now, Jack! Hurry!"

They had just turned to seek refuge in the captain's quarters when the ship began to drift a safe distance from the rotating waves. Suddenly a loud booming voice was heard behind them.

"Jack Sparrow!"

Jack immediately stopped and furrowed his brow.

"Wh… I know that voice."

They turned around just as a dark mist rose up from the center of the whirlpool and from what could only be the very depths of hell, the Raven suddenly emerged from the churning water, fully restored and more powerful, more fearsome and magnificent than ever before. The whirlpool closed up, and the water became calm. Jack gasped and putting a hand over his heart, took a step back. Jewel stood helplessly still, shocked by the sight of the huge pirate ship looming before them. The sound of the voice brought Captain Locke and his soldiers out from where they were hiding, and they too stared at the terrifying ship. Some pointed to the strange figurehead; a large, black ferocious looking dragon head with large red eyes and sharp pointed horns and spines protruding upward through the bowsprit, its mouth agape with countless sharp pointed teeth. Seeing neither captain nor crew, the men of the Sentinel began to liken it to an evil ghost ship. Jewel immediately pulled Jack to the side forcing him to look at her.

"Don't look at the dragon's eyes!"

Sensing he was fighting temptation to do just that, she kicked his legs out from under him, and he fell to the deck with her on top of him. She covered his face just as rays from the glowing red eyes shot out at those standing on deck around them instantly paralyzing them in a form of stasis. When it was safe, Jewel looked around at the men frozen in position and helped Jack to his feet. Even John was affected and stood with his hand on the hilt of his half-drawn sword. She could not comprehend what manner of evil had manifested itself and had the power to retrieve the sunken Raven and render it to its former state. She did not have to wait long, for sensing his evil presence she turned around as he stepped onto the deck of his demon ship.

"Hawk!" she murmured to herself and remembered the unsettling feelings she felt earlier.

"Ahoy there, Jack Sparrow and lovely lady!" He tipped his hat and stepped closer to the bowsprit spreading out his hands. "Of all the places in the world, fancy meeting you… here."

"Can't they ever just stay dead?" Jack bemoaned in a low voice then loudly called out, "What happened, Hawk? Hell couldn't stomach ye, so they spit ye back out, eh. Personally I'd have thought ye'd be a right tasty… uh, morsel, a rare delicacy fer the devil himself… charred!"

"Ah, true enough, but I've been given a second chance with a new and more powerful ship. The Raven was an intimidating power to be sure, but now she's invincible. I've merged the spirits of the Raven and the dragon to control the sea and the air, for that which controls them both controls the world." Hawk slowly raised his arms up from each side of his body, and huge towering waves rose up around the Sentinel threatening to crash down on it. "We'll start by … dominating the waters, and I say 'we' for I have the ship, yet I'm in need of a new first mate. So, Jack, have ye come to fill the position… again?" Jack looked up and grimaced at the sight of the surrounding wall of cresting water held back by Hawk's power. Hawk waited for a reply, taking delight in Jack's obvious fear and discomfort. "Sorry, I won't take no for an answer," he added.

"No! Take me instead!" Jewel quickly stepped in front of Jack while he looked over her shoulder. Hawk laughed at her efforts to protect him and lowered his arms allowing the waves to settle back down to their normal position.

"What are ye doin'?" Jack whispered in her ear. "I'm the one he wants."

"Do you trust me, Jack?" she whispered back all the while watching Hawk.

"I trust ye with m' life, but ye don't have the medallion anymore."

Jewel turned her face to look at him and kissed him lightly on the lips.

"I've something better," she said with a smile and boldly took another step toward Hawk.

"By thunder, you are brave, little one," Hawk remarked, "but ye had yer chance once before and turned it down. So step aside and let Jack speak fer himself!"

Jewel glared at him and refused to move. Amused by her noble gesture, Hawk made a motion with his hand, and a force threw her to the deck and up against the main mast where she hit her head. He then threw out both hands, and just as Jewel had forced him to rise up in the air before the dragon, he caused Jack to do so as well, only this time it was over the side of the Sentinel and toward the Raven until he hovered in front of Hawk above the bowsprit. Jack quickly looked down to stare at the many long, sharp points of the figurehead directly below him. He swallowed hard and tried to be calm.

"Now we can talk without interruptions," Hawk smirked. "So, what say ye then, Jack?"

"But, Hawk, ye lost yer men. How can I be first mate on a ship with no crew?"

"Aye, tis true, as ye say. I lost a good crew, men who had been with me fer many years, most you probably remember, but fortunately another one comes to take their place, one you also remember. Look there and cast yer eyes on my new band of seaworthy scamps!"

Jack looked in the direction he pointed to and saw the Royal Arms and the Pearl floating on the calm sea. Though still some distance away, his crew and that of the Royal Arms were also standing motionless under Hawk's power. Jack's heart sank. While he agonized over the situation, Jewel recovered from the blow to her head and slowly stood up. She staggered to the side and saw Jack hovering dangerously over the deadly bowsprit. She called out to him and caught Hawk's attention. Jack struggled but could not turn to look at her, but saw Hawk's eyes turn red as those of the dragon figurehead. Presently Hawk called out to the Sentinel.

"Wake from thy sleep, carry out my commands!

Capture the woman, and shackle her hands!

Rays of light shot from his eyes toward some of the guards on the Sentinel releasing them from the strong, restraining force that held them. Unable to resist Hawk's power over them, they immediately set out to find Jewel and put her in irons. Jewel tried to hide from them but soon found herself trapped near the upper deck with no choice but to run up the steps leading to the helm. As she stood at the top looking down, they followed her up. Holding tightly to the handrail on each side of the stairway, she lifted her legs and slammed them into the chest of the first man to reach her. The force of her legs pushed him backward, and he and the others behind him toppled down the steps onto the main deck. Seeing that she had her hands full, Hawk turned his attention back to Jack with a subtle grin.

"Well, that should keep our girl busy fer a while. Wouldn't want her being a distraction while we conduct business." Hawk's eyes continued to glow. "Ye know, that's the thing with most women… too excitable and fiercely devoted to love and lost causes. Especially that woman! But I shall deal with her later… in my own special way. And just to make sure there's plenty of chaos fer her to deal with, I'll make it even more interesting."

Hawk closed his eyes to concentrate on the Sentinel then opened them again with a stern look, his eyes focused on the motionless guards and crew of the besieged ship. Slowly at first the other hapless men regained movement, yet could not resume their normal duties and behavior. With their minds still under the control of Hawk, they obediently drew their weapons against each other seeking the nearest man, clashing sword against sword in deadly combat. Soon wounded men, fatally or otherwise, began to drop to the deck. Pleased with what he saw, Hawk smiled and turned his attention to Jack once more.

"So now, Jack, back to business. I do believe you were 'bout to agree to sail under my command along with yer crew." Jack stared at him in frustration not knowing what was happening on the Sentinel. His mind raced to think of a way to stop him and counter his demand. Suddenly he thought of something.

"Hawk, 'twould seem ye've forgotten the power she has with her medallion and the dragon… you do remember the dragon, don't you? The one that ate you… uh, let's see, when was that? Oh yeah. Just yesterday..." Then under his breath, "and probably got gas fer his efforts."

Hawk laughed and pushed aside his coat to reveal the golden medallion now in his possession and hanging from his neck. Jack's mouth dropped then turned into a frown as his latest effort to delay the inevitable had failed. He stared at the medallion wondering how Hawk managed to get it, but his thoughts were soon interrupted by shouts on the Sentinel. He struggled to turn his head but could not. With just a cursory glance at the fighting on the other ship, Hawk held the medallion in his hand and stared at it. He began to rub the jewel, and shortly it began to glow with the same red color as his eyes and that of the figurehead.

"Seems I have the power now. Shall I call it, Jack? Shall I… summon the dragon fer ye?" Jack shuddered at the thought yet tried to remain calm and shook his head nonchalantly.

"Nay, no call fer that… least of all on my account. Besides, he should rest after such a busy night. Actually, I believe another time would be better fer me as well. How 'bout, let's say… next week?" To his dismay, Hawk laughed as a dark mist began to form behind the ship.

"Nonsense, but then again, if I can't summon it fer you, then I'll summon it fer her. We'll just have t' see how powerful the woman is against my dragon!"

"Oh, bugger," Jack mumbled as he watched the dark form take shape and followed it with his eyes as it slowly rose up to tower high above the ship. Suddenly it let out a loud terrifying scream and extended its large black wings, its red eyes piercing through the mist and looking at him. It opened its mouth and sucked in the remaining vapors revealing its monstrous face with large smoking nostrils and long sharp scales and horns protruding from each side. Immediately aware that this was not Jewel's dragon, Jack shrank back in fear and stared at its horrific visage, then flinched when it screamed again moving its head from side to side.

"Nice beastie?" Jack whimpered.

While Jack fought to keep his wits with Hawk and silently fret over the dragon, Jewel fought with several of the guards who had now surrounded her on the upper deck. She saw the darkness of the mist rise up from the Raven, but when John and the rest of the soldiers and crew drew their weapons to fight and kill each other, she paused in shock and horror at the sight of them. More guards came to assist in her capture forcing her to retreat to the other side of the helm. She glanced down to the main deck where several of the officers, including John, were lunging at each other, their swords sharp, swift, and stained with the blood of their once comrades in arms. Noticing that all the guards ordered to secure her were now on the upper deck, Jewel suddenly had an idea. As the dragon took its form on the Raven, she took a deep breath and started kicking and punching hard, freeing herself from her pursuers, giving herself a few seconds to run to the edge, plunge over the rail, and somersault onto the main deck in the midst of the combating body of men.

Jewel heard the screams coming from the Raven and after pushing some of the soldiers out of her way, ran to the ship's side. She looked toward Jack, but the towering dark form of the dragon spirit beyond him caught her attention and held her in shock. She had not seen the dragon before now even under its trance but instinctively knew this was not her dragon. This was pure evil, a monster from hell, a monster only Hawk could summon. As she gasped in total horror at the sight, the dragon slowly rose from its place on the Raven extending its wings beyond the width of the ship. It soared over the Sentinel just as Jewel moved out of the path of a guard being pushed over the side. She watched it circle around back toward her, all the while keeping an eye on the guards fighting around her and those who scrambled to reach the stairs and come down after her. Needing a place to hide and think, Jewel ran toward the front of the ship carefully dodging and pushing aside the men who stood in her way and obstructed her path. Upon reaching the bow, she crouched behind a water barrel and looked up, waiting for the dragon.

The dragon wasted no time and attacked the ship with balls of fire that burst from its mouth hitting the main mast and causing it to explode into three large burning pieces. The weight of the falling pieces of timber crashed through the main deck crushing many of the crew as they fought each other beneath it. Above them fire from burning sails torn from the exploding mast spread to other sails on the mizzenmast before plummeting to the deck below where broken planks exposing a large hole in the deck caught fire from flames raging on the lower decks. Jewel heard screams coming from below where a piece of the burning mast lay atop the bodies of several crushed men and the remains of the crew's sleeping quarters.

Another round of fireballs hit the quarterdeck destroying the helm and exploding the windows of the captain's quarters. As panic set in, Jewel took deep breaths to try to calm her own fear. She focused on the teachings of the Masters, their wisdom in the strength of mind and body over opposing forces. She thought of her father just a short distance away and their home on their plantation. They were safe for now but still subject to subversive servitude along with all humanity if Hawk was not stopped, for in his cruel quest for power and ultimate domination he probably would release the dragon to destroy the capitals of the world if his demands were not met. Jewel had to do something fast and ran from the place where she was hiding to the mizzenmast carefully stepping around the large hole in the deck and the surrounding burning planks. The guards saw her and scurried to catch her, but the thickening smoke and scattered bodies hampered their effort. They stopped to look around but in the confusion lost sight of her.

Having avoided the guards temporarily, Jewel glanced up at the burning topsails then at the crew around her. She saw John standing nearby facing one of the lieutenants who lunged at him. John swung around and parried with the man before plunging his blade into the man's abdomen. Dropping his sword the man succumbed to the wound and sank to the deck while John looked for another opponent. Other men locked in combat followed suit, and with a crazed look in their eyes, they too turned on each other. Smoke from the burning lower deck continued to fill the air, yet Jewel managed to quickly step out of harm's way as two soldiers grappling together tripped and fell down almost taking her down with them. The other guards cursed and chased each other as Jewel continued to fight her way through them until she reached the mast.

From the deck of the Raven, Hawk watched with amusement as the crew of the Sentinel fought and killed each other systematically as he planned. He even laughed maniacally while the dragon continuously soared over the Sentinel and bombarded it with its fireballs then callously described the destruction to Jack.

"Enough, Hawk. Enough!" Jack yelled out amid the noisy clamor of explosions and swords, of shouts of anger and cries of pain. "I'll be yer bloody first mate."

"I thought you'd come around and agree to it," Hawk answered, "but I must feel it in yer voice and in yer heart. Remember well, I demand hard and fast loyalty from m' crew. I can easily sense deceit, and any meaningless attempt to trifle with me will not bode well fer you or yer men, Jack, so speak yer words wisely."

"And you'll call off yer wretched pet?"

"Call off the dragon? Oh, I'm sorry. Did ye really think this was all done fer you? Sorry to disappoint you, but I believe this to be an opportune time to test my powers and my pet, as ye called it, just to see what I can really do. And who better than our enemy to test them on?" Jack did not reply but hung his head and sighed. "And as luck would have it, mate, there's another ship nearby to have fun with once this one has settled far beneath us and is home fer the sharks."

"Kill all yer witnesses, Hawk, and no one'll know you exist," Jack noted and looked at him hoping he could talk some sense into him. Jewel's father was probably on that British vessel, and he had to try to save him, for Jewel's sake. He also knew it was a matter of time before Hawk would destroy the Pearl after having subjugated his crew for his own use aboard the Raven.

"Don't worry none, dear Jack. There'll be plenty of witnesses in due time, but not today."

Jack watched helplessly as Hawk diverted his attention to the dragon flying overhead.

"But Hawk, consider the advantage of sparing the lives of them poor louts. Personally, I neither care if they live or die, but destroying this one ship but not the other will certainly demonstrate yer overwhelming power o'er life and death. After all... the master of men should also be a master of mercy, right?" Jack smiled in the hopes that flattery would soften Hawk's determination to destroy both ships for their destruction now served only to satisfy Hawk's lust to instill pain and suffering on those he considered enemies.

"Master of mercy? Hmm-mm. I rather like that." Hawk pondered the thought as he looked out over the water toward the Royal Arms allowing Jack to continue in its defense.

"Aye, mercy. For what chance does a ship of weak, cowering lackeys have against the likes of the mighty Raven, her captain, and her… first mate and crew?" Jack lowered his head and grimaced at the thought, yet quickly looked up again with a cunning smirk. Hawk turned to look at him again, this time with eyes lit up acknowledging Jack's ultimate surrender to his will. "Now all ye need do," Jack continued while glancing down at his dangling feet, "is … uh, slowly fly me over to m' ship, and I'll have a nice chat with m' crew, uh, sorry… your crew. To prepare them, of course, for their new captain."

"And tell them they've been promoted to serve under the... master of men?" Hawk waited to hear Jack's reply with a smirk of triumph. Jack looked up at the sky and took in a breath of air. Savoring the moment, he felt a cool breeze blow softly against his face.

"Aye, master of men… and beast, air and water, life and …," Jack looked at Hawk and tipped his head with an air of resigned respect, "…death." Hawk liked what he heard then began to laugh until his voice resonated throughout the ship.

"Ye need not bother, Jack. They already know."

"But… coming from me will…"

"They already know!"

Once again Jack's hope of escaping and returning to the Pearl withered with Hawk's cold, icy stare, but he was determined not to give up. Hawk had won the destruction of the Sentine1, but he would not have his way with the Black Pearl. Not knowing if Jewel was still alive, Jack concentrated his thoughts and efforts on finding a way to save himself, his ship, and his crew.

Hawk glanced up at the sky, and Jack suddenly saw the shadow of the dragon pass over the Raven. He heard its scream as it flew toward the Sentinel again. He thought he had seen it all… the Kraken, mermaids, the giant lizard in the caves of Morocco, even the living skeletons of his old crew, but none could compare to this flying, black emissary of death with its evil red eyes and fiery breath. He shuddered at its screams and drew his hands up to cover his ears. He knew one thing for sure. Hawk controlled the dragon and had to die in order for the beast to be destroyed as well.

Chapter 18

The screams from above also caught Jewel's attention, and she helplessly watched as the dragon attacked once more, hurling more fireballs at the already damaged ship. She grabbed the mast for support as this time the fiery blast hit the bow and exploded creating a hole in the hull where water immediately began to fill the empty space. Moments later another blast hit the foremast, toppling it over the side of the ship and pulling down its burning sails to cover the sinking bow and the screaming doomed men beneath it. Only the mizzenmast remained standing though it swayed precariously as the ship tilted forward under the weight of water now filling the hull and lower front decks.

Jewel looked around at the bodies on the main deck and those now floating in the water, anguished by the loss of so many innocent men, all victims of Hawk's demonic cruelty. She saw Captain Locke stagger to the side of the ship bleeding profusely from a fatal blow to his neck. Smirking at his friend's dire situation, John walked over giving him the final deathblow with a malicious thrust of his sword to the dying man's chest then pushed him over the side into the sea. Horrified by his actions, Jewel screamed at him in anger and ran to the side only to watch the captain's bloodied body sink below the water's surface. Driven to obey the mind controlling command of Hawk and oblivious to the carnage around him, John had no choice but to continue in his frenzied attempt to kill the nearest man to him. Only this time he saw Jewel and moved toward her with his sword raised in a threatening manner. She tried to run toward the mast, but he blocked her way.

"John! Don't do this!" she pleaded. "It's me, Julianne! You must stop!"

For a brief moment he vaguely remembered who she was, but that moment passed quickly as he lunged at her with his sword. Jewel thwarted his attack and tried to reason with him again, but he ignored her plea and took another menacing step toward her; his face contorted as he tried to fight the power that urged him to destroy her. The ship shifted further downward under the weight of the water causing John to lose his balance and stumble a few steps away from her. This allowed Jewel a moment to glance around where she saw many of the guards previously pursuing her now engaged with fighting each other. She tried to think of Jack and how to help him, but she could not escape the constant struggle of avoiding capture by the guards and trying not to get killed. She heard the shrill scream of the dragon again then suddenly the yell of someone behind her and turned in time to see a member of the crew run toward her. She immediately dropped to the deck to entangle his feet, and as he began to fall, she took the sword away from him then stood up to face John with a weapon in hand.

"I don't want to hurt you!" Jewel yelled and from the corner of her eye saw a few guards coming toward her. She backed up against the mast as John took a few quick steps with the intention of charging her. Not waiting for him to advance any further, Jewel pointed the sword at him. He swung his sword against it with a loud clang, and she countered with a few swift thrusts finally cutting the sleeve of his uniform. A guard moved to grab her from behind, but she quickly jabbed him in the throat with her elbow, then turned aside to slam her boot into the kneecap of another as he also tried to constrain her. She sensed John close behind and whirled around in time to deflect a blow, then another. Before he could raise his sword again, she kicked him hard in the groin, and he immediately dropped to his knees. Grabbing the sword from his hand, Jewel swung it against the mast severing a rope supporting the lower sails. As it broke free and the sails unfurled, she dropped the swords in time to grab the rope with both hands and was pulled up to the first spar. She maneuvered herself over to the small platform attached to the mast and took a few deep breaths watching as the demon possessed guards set about to climb the dangerously tilted mast after her.

She held onto the mast as the dragon spewed forth another barrage of fireballs that rocked the ship. Shaken by the dragon's continuous assaults, Jewel looked down on the remaining portion of deck not yet submerged. She saw to her horror John lying dead on the blood stained deck among others from the crew, caught in the path of flying wooden debris and fragments of metal from the dragon's last attack. Where once there were many, only a few guards under Hawk's control were left alive, oblivious to the death and destruction around them and focused only in their relentless efforts to subdue her.

Another jolt and Jewel grasped the mast again, this time watching water flow over the sides of the ship covering the bodies of those on deck and washing them overboard into the sea. With most of the ship and lower part of the mast under water, Jewel frantically looked around and saw Jack still suspended in the air and blocking Hawk's view of her. She had to stop this maniac and the dragon now or all would be lost and mankind subjected forever to his demonic demands.

With little time before the remaining guards reached her or the ship totally sank, Jewel stooped down on the wobbly platform and immediately released a small lever on the outside of each boot. The back of each heel opened releasing a golden handle. She reached back with both hands to pull her set of sais from their hidden compartment and finally stood up bracing her back against the mast facing the Raven. Holding the sacred weapons in front of her, she pressed the emerald on each handle allowing the prongs to extend to their full length. She crossed them and held them close to her heart, then humbly bowed her head and closed her eyes. As the guards shouted below and climbed the mast, she quietly chanted, words spoken not by the power of the medallion, but by the power of a valiant warrior, alone and desperate, embarking upon the final battle with the forces of evil, a warrior fearless in the quest for victory while standing at the threshold of death.

Honored masters of the East, hear my plea,

Send forth thy spirit to sanctify me.

Let forces of light within me converge

And render thy power that justice be served.

A shimmering aura of green light quickly flowed over the golden prongs of her weapon. It continued down the length of her arms and over her entire body causing her to tremble with its power. She slowly lifted her head and opened her eyes, and brilliant rays of green light radiated from them. The immense energy of the dragon's aura empowered her with a strength she had never felt before plus an impenetrable shield of protection against the destructive forces of evil. With a bold and determined look on her face, Jewel held the sais up to each side of her head and twirled them in her hand before abruptly lowering them out to the side of her body. Instantly she began to run along the narrow yardarm just missing the hand of a guard as he tried to grab her foot from below.

The dragon made another pass at the Sentinel and cast a fireball directly at her. Carefully avoiding tripping on the many ropes coiled around the wooden spar, Jewel conjured up all the strength in her body and raised the sais to protect herself against the attack. She crossed the blades and held them out in front of her face as they emitted a powerful energy blast toward the oncoming flaming projectile. The fireball suddenly burst into scattered wisps of smoke and flame, which quickly dissipated into harmless vapor. The dragon flew into a turn once again. Undaunted in resolve, she continued to race toward the tapered end, but the weakened mast cracked under the additional weight of the men who climbed it and began to fall toward the submerged bow of the ship. With a few steps to go, Jewel adjusted her balance and focused on reaching the end.

Jack was still cowering from the dragon amid taunting sneers from Hawk when Jewel drew in a deep breath and took a huge leap off the end of the spar, going high in the air to clear the sinking Sentinel. With a sai in each hand, she raised her arms over her head and drew up her legs like a dragon. The beast screamed again with fire forming in his mouth and gnashed his teeth in defiance of her gesture. He circled the ship one last time to confront her, his fiery eyes glowing red and flames ready to shoot out toward her. Jewel reached the pinnacle of her jump and began to descend. With her arms stretched out to the side, she immediately threw the sais toward Jack. The weapons soared rapidly through the air as Jewel closed her eyes knowing death was moments away for without the sais she had nothing to repel the dragon's fire. Just as searing flames engulfed her, she lay back in a graceful arch and fell headfirst toward the sea like a blazing human torch bringing her extended arms together before breaking the surface of the water between the Raven and the sunken ship.

Jack could not see the destruction of the Sentinel but heard the loud screams of the dragon and the fiery explosions and cracking of wooden masts. He smelled the smoke of burning sail canvas and charred decking planks, of smoldering hemp from shredded ropes and riggings hanging limp over the ship's side. But worst of all were the horrific screams and moans of men dying from wounds or trapped in the burning lower decks under fallen debris. He solemnly thought of the Black Pearl drifting a short distance away and hung his head in sorrow over the tragic fate of the Sentinel, of John Riggs and Julianne... Jewel.

Suddenly the sais whizzed past his ears. He gasped and stiffened his body, his eyes wide with surprise. Distracted by the dragon's fiery attack on the Sentinel and with Jack blocking his view, Hawk failed to see Jewel leap from the spar and throw her weapon. When at last he saw the flashes of gold racing toward him, it was too late to react, for the sharp points of the sais instantly pierced each glowing, red eye and buried itself deep within his skull. The force of the impact knocked him back, pinning him hard against the foremast by the prongs protruding out the back of his head.

Jack held his breath and grimaced as he stared at Hawk's body hanging lifeless with golden sai handles sticking out of his eye sockets. It was a gruesome sight, but the body immediately began to disintegrate into dust, and the medallion fell to the deck of the ship beneath the imbedded gold weapons. The dragon turned its attention toward Jack and aimed its deadly fire in his direction. Before it was within range, however, the red glow from the medallion went out, and from the sky where it had risen, the dragon too faded and vanished from sight. The force holding Jack also gave way, and with a loud cry, he flailed his arms and began to fall toward the bowsprit and its sharp protruding spines. He saw the razor-sharp points of the demon structure as he quickly fell toward them and closed his eyes shielding his face with his arms while awaiting impact and certain impalement.

In a bright flash of light, the red glow from the figurehead's eyes disappeared, and the Raven disintegrated instantly back into debris sinking beneath the water just as Jack reached it. With a loud splash he safely hit the water and sunk far below before opening his eyes and realizing he was still alive. He regained his senses and began swimming upward in his effort to get air while dodging remnants of debris from the sinking Raven. As Jack pushed aside a piece of submerged decking, the medallion slid off and inadvertently looped around the large buckle of his belt. It was then he saw Jewel's body drifting motionless under the surface of the water with out-stretched arms and long, flowing dark hair.

In a surge of griping panic Jack immediately swam toward her, coming up for air once then down again until he finally reached her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her upward. When he finally broke the water's surface with a deep breath of air, he looked around and saw a large piece of wood floating nearby. He struggled to reach it with Jewel in tow and once there, propped her up against it. He noticed the pale green glow of her skin, which began to fade almost immediately. He patted her cheek and called her name several times. She suddenly took in a deep breath, opened her eyes, and quickly looked around. With breaths coming rapidly, she frantically looked at her hands and arms then touched her face and hair, actually surprised to find them unscathed.

"The fire. I felt its heat, but I'm alive," she whispered with labored breath then weakly asked. "Is it over?" She closed her eyes and lowered her head, her body trembling.

"Aye, you sent him back to hell," he answered lifting her head and as always pushed back several strands of hair from her eyes. While holding her steady, Jack noticed the dark clouds had strangely disappeared and the sun was brightly shining. "Now that, my dear…that…was one remarkable, phenomenal, uncommonly dangerous, and undeniable death defying adventure." Jewel also looked at the sky and smilingly nodded in agreement.

"Captain Sparrow!" a voice loudly called out from the deck of the Sentinel. "We're sending a boat out to get you!"

Surprised by the sound of voices, Jack and Jewel turned around to look at the ship, both shocked to see it had not sunk and that the masts were still upright. Apparently all was as before. Too weary to guess how she, the ship, and everyone else had survived yet happy all the same, Jewel closed her eyes again and rested her head against Jack's shoulder. Within minutes a rescue party arrived to pull them to safety. As they were helped onto the ship, Jack felt something hit his leg and was surprised to see the medallion hanging from the buckle on his belt. With a look of disdain for the accursed trinket, he furtively covered it with his hand and put it in his pocket just as John came over with a questionable look on his face.

"What were you doing back in the water? Do you honestly prefer to drift your way to Antigua on a piece of wood?" Jack rolled his eyes and shook his head as water dripped from his hair and clothes.

Captain Locke met them with the same question, and while Jack thought up some excuse as to why they were in the water, Jewel looked around the ship. Strangely enough, there was no damage from the dragon's fire at all. The masts and sails were intact, and there was no evidence of debris or dead bodies. The guards who previously tried to restrain her seemed unaware of what had transpired but rather offered her some water. All seemed the same as before the Raven appeared. It was just as well, she thought. Those on the Sentinel had resumed their duties as if nothing had happened.

Jewel looked up once more at the clear, blue sky yet saw no clouds. She wondered if Hawk had somehow altered time and upon his demise, time had readjusted itself. She would never know, nor did she want to. It was enough that everyone was alive and the ship safe. She took in a deep breath to calm her nerves then heard some talking among the crew. She looked over and saw several of them pulling on the rope to the square sail of the mizzenmast. Jewel chuckled to herself for it was the same one she had cut only a short time earlier to escape the guards. She then remembered her father. One of the crew handed her a blanket, and she hurried to dry her hair and clothes as best she could. She was about finished when she heard someone call out that the approaching ships were almost there.

Suddenly there were cheers and whistles from the Black Pearl as the ship finally docked alongside the Sentinel. Unaware of their near encounter with the demon Hawk, Jack's men were laughing and waving their hats, running around the main deck, slapping hands and trying to get a better look at their rescued captain. When the ships were secure, Captain Locke came forward to stand next to Jack and Jewel and patiently waited with them as a plank from the Sentinel was put down between the two ships. Gibbs hurried across the plank, while the Royal Arms slowly docked on the starboard side of the Sentinel. Once safely aboard, Gibbs strolled over to Jack smiling and shaking his head.

"Jack, we always find ye in the strangest places." Gibbs remarked as he looked around then leaned over to whisper in his ear. "Most times it means savin' ye from the Brits or some wretch with a grudge. So, what happened to ye this time and where's Hawk and his men?"

"They're dead, finally. First, there was fire and explosions in his cave. The Devil took him and his crew. We nearly fell into oblivion then later watched the Raven burn and explode. Of course, we were stranded at sea, picked up by the Brits, survived a maelstrom, attacked by a dragon, cast into the sea once more and worse yet, picked up by the Brits again. Ye know… the usual stuff." Gibbs acknowledged with a nod of his head then looked at Jack's wet hair and clothes. "Oh this?" Jack added as he took a handful of his hair and wrung out some water. "Just wanted to freshen up before ye arrived. Say, ye still have m' hat?"

"Aye, and I see by all that's merciful in heaven, ye managed to survive as always!"

"Aye, Mr. Gibbs, as always" he replied with a grin. "After all, I'm Captain Ja... oh, just never mind. I'll tell ye everything later. That is, if we can spread sail and square away from this… this… afternoon tea party."

The two men had a good laugh while Jewel watched Commander Lanksbury and his officers put down a plank from the Royal Arms and escort Richard Whitbourne over to the Sentinel. Jack and Gibbs turned to talk to her and saw her walking slowly toward a man… her father. The moment had finally arrived as father and daughter stood facing each other. The years had changed them for he now had traces of gray hair and eyes that looked weary from the voyage, and she a mature woman standing before him in men's clothing no less, no longer his little girl. Nervous at first, Jewel watched as he came to her with tears welled up in his eyes, but when he reached out to hold her, she immediately stepped into his loving embrace. Tenderly holding his child, Richard stroked her hair and fought to hold back his tears. She also held him tightly having missed the arms that had comforted her and made her feel secure all her life. She closed her eyes and smiled, happy to be in the caring arms of her father, yet at the same time longed to be in the arms of another. Finally they each took a step back to better look at the other. The years of worry and concern showed in her father's face, and Jewel gently wiped the tears from his eyes as tears formed in her own.

"Don't cry, father, I know I look awful. I had a little mishap earlier, but I'm all right now," she said softly smiling up at him. "I've missed you and mother so terribly, and I'm glad to be coming home. I'm sorry for all the trouble."

Richard could not speak but held her close once more as if to convince himself she was truly there and safe. When at last he looked up, he saw Gibbs nodding his head and smiling at him from the side of the ship. Richard smiled in return, grateful that he had believed and trusted in him, a pirate, but also a man of honor and integrity. He saw the man standing next to him, who he presumed was Jack Sparrow. He remembered Savannah and thought it ironic, for as one group of pirates tore his family apart; it took another to bring them back together.

After watching Jewel's tearful reunion with her father, Jack turned to Gibbs.

"Say, did ye notice any funny, dark swirling clouds earlier?" He raised his hand to make a swirling motion, yet Gibbs slowly shook his head in bewilderment.

"Seems there was a shadow of a storm, but next thing I knew, 'twas gone. Why d' ye ask, Jack? Did I miss somethin'?" Jack shrugged his shoulders and stuck out his lower lip.

"Oh nothin' really. Just… checkin' on the weather." Gibbs raised an eyebrow and finally chuckled when he saw Jack looking up at the sky. "So Mr. Gibbs, what be our chances for slippin' 'way while they're not lookin'?" Gibbs looked around and noticed everyone was preoccupied. He was about to answer when a guard suddenly came by and stood near them with his bayonet ready at his side.

"Chances? Uh, by the looks of it, sir, I fear… nary a one," he disappointedly responded then awkwardly smiled when the guard looked at him.

In the meantime, Commander Lanksbury casually walked over to Captain Locke and shook his hand anxious to hear of any information about Hawk and the Raven. The captain walked with him and explained to the commander's satisfaction all that had transpired to the best of his knowledge. Afterward they tried to decide what action to take now that everyone was safe, especially with the issue of Jack Sparrow and the Black Pearl.

Richard finally released his hold on his daughter and inquired as to her escape from Hawk. She briefly explained how Jack had saved her from the pirates, as well as the destruction of the Raven, and how the Sentinel eventually rescued them.

"Father, did you bring the ransom?" she asked after answering his many questions. He nodded his head and motioned for one of the young officers standing nearby to come forward with the leather pouch. "You know, I wouldn't be here were it not for that man there, Jack Sparrow, and his crew. Please pay him the ransom as a reward, father, and let them go peacefully. It is, after all, the right thing to do!" Richard had to agree and readily walked over to Jack and Gibbs with the money pouch under his arm.

"I'm Richard Whitbourne, Julianne's father. Please accept this, sir. I believe you've earned it," he said offering the pouch to Jack. "There's quite a lot of money there, young man, and please know that I am truly grateful to you for rescuing my daughter and keeping her safe. I'll be indebted to you always, Mr. Sparrow."

"It's Captain Sparrow, father." Jewel mentioned and Richard quickly corrected himself.

Jack hesitantly took the pouch and glanced over at Jewel who smiled at him with eyes glistening with tears. He looked at it yet felt awkward for he could not truly acknowledge it as a reward, least of all for her rescue. He alone knew the truth about her and the dragon, a truth he would take to his grave, but still he needed the money and decided to accept it, rationalizing it as simple payment for transporting her from Gilley's Rock to Antigua as originally agreed upon. When Richard stuck out his hand, Jack looked at it then gladly yet humbly shook it.

"Thank you," he responded and handed the pouch over to Gibbs, who wasted no time and tossed it to one of the crew on the Pearl for fear the man might change his mind.

As the three men talked, John, who had been watching from the other side, wondered what was in store for Jack and his men for he knew their presence was an open invitation for their capture and ultimate death. He remembered the hospitality shown him and his men after Jack's crew had rescued them from the sinking Vigilant, and it was with this thought in mind whereby he motioned for Captain Locke to join him.

"What's going to happen now to Jack Sparrow and his men?"

"I'm not sure, but I'm leaving that up to Commander Lanksbury," replied the captain. "We're still within his territorial boundary, you know, and I have no real authority. But don't worry, John. I explained all that Sparrow did regarding you, Hawk, and Miss Whitbourne, though I think he still intends on taking them in."

"What! That can't happen, Henry, you know that! After all Sparrow did? It's not right! I'm sorry, but I won't let it happen! We might as well have left him in the water for all the good we've done him!"

"Hold up, John!" the captain responded with concern and firmly put his hand on John's arm. "You're an officer of the King's Royal Navy. Always remember that! You've taken an oath to obey the laws of the King and the Empire and especially to adhere to the orders of the commanding officer. I won't allow you to throw your life and career away for a pirate, even if he is Jack Sparrow." John looked at him with mounting frustration and saw Commander Lanksbury and his officers approach Jewel and her father.

"Miss Whitbourne, I'm Commander Lanksbury from St. Johns. I've had the honor of escorting your father here today and believe me when I say I'm very pleased we were able to find you in the capable hands of Captain Locke and his crew. Now that you're safe, we would like to return to Antigua as soon as possible. So, if you and your father would please board the Royal Arms, we'll be casting off shortly." Richard nodded in agreement and told her he would see her on the ship. He turned to go toward the Royal Arms leaving Jewel to say goodbye to her friends. After watching her father board the Royal Arms, Jewel walked over to Captain Locke and took his hand.

"Thank you, Captain, for everything."

"Goodbye, Miss Whitbourne," he replied smiling and shaking her hand.

Jack watched as Jewel said her farewell to Captain Locke and wondered what he would say to her when his time came to say goodbye. She next went over to talk one last time with John. Jack could not help but still feel a twinge of envy as he watched them together smiling and holding hands, but that quickly passed when he saw Commander Lanksbury and his officers approaching him.

"Captain Sparrow, by orders of the King of England for which I'm bound, I'm hereby placing you and your men under arrest for piracy and other crimes against the Empire. Take them, Lieutenant!"

Before Jack could react, several officers took hold of him and Gibbs while another placed their hands in irons. Other soldiers lined up along the side of the ship with their weapons pointed at the Pearl and its crew. As they were led away toward the Royal Arms, John and Jewel both stepped forward and blocked the officers from going any further. Surprised, the officers stopped and waited for Commander Lanksbury to intervene. Jewel closed her eyes for a moment silently whispering to herself, while in a deep corner of Jack's pocket the emerald of the medallion emitted a faint final glow, which quickly faded.

Jewel felt renewed strength within her spirit and without thought of its source went to the commander taking him by the arm. Surprised by her actions, he followed her to the side of the ship where she stood with her back to the others. As he waited for her to speak, he noticed tiny flickers of light swirling within her eyes. Transfixed by her gaze he soon felt serene in the glow of the light's reflection.

"Commander, you're a good man," she whispered so the others would not hear. "I know you only want to do what is right and what is just, so hear me now. You know Jack Sparrow is not a criminal. You have heard of his many brave and daring heroics. You admire him, and don't wish him any harm. You will allow him and his ship to sail away unhindered, won't you?" Lanksbury continued to stare at the flickers of light.

"Yes, of course, Miss Whitbourne," replied the commander smiling. "I understand. Jack Sparrow is not a criminal. He's a hero."

"Excellent, then please order your men to release Captain Sparrow and his men and do not hold Commander Riggs accountable for his actions here."

The commander blinked his eyes a few times and nodded his head in compliance.

"Belay my last order and release them," the commander ordered without hesitation. Jewel was satisfied with the order and went over to stand near her father.

Surprised by the change in orders, the confused officers looked at each other and then at Jack who simply gave them a wry smile. They immediately obeyed the new command, and Jack and Gibbs were released from their shackles. John quickly took them by the arm and hurried them over to the ship's side, then waited as Commander Lanksbury came over to them with a stern look.

"Captain Sparrow, after further consideration on your behalf, I've decided to release you and your men from military custody. I'm well aware that your men risked their lives to organize a rescue for you, Miss Whitbourne, and Commander Riggs. I must tell you I have the greatest respect for Mr. Gibbs here, as he very eloquently explained to me a little bit about the things you've done, and I only wish, that my men felt the same way about me as yours apparently feel about you." Jack looked at Gibbs with gratitude as the commander continued. "Now, I also understand from Captain Locke that you were responsible for the demise of Hawk and his crew and somehow even managed to save the Sentinel from total destruction. Very commendable, and after reviewing all these facts, I've come to a decision. As commander of the military in Antigua and her waters, it is within my power to grant you, Captain Sparrow, a reprieve for a few days, but only for a few days. You must sail from this area while you still have my word that you'll not be pursued during this time. So prepare now to return to the Black Pearl and never again sail the waters under my charge."

Knowing that was not a promise he would keep, Jack smiled anyway and casually saluted him amid cheers from his men. As the commander walked away, the soldiers lowered their weapons while Jewel went over to Gibbs and hugged him. She knew she would miss him terribly and reached up to whisper in his ear.

"Thank you for bringing my father and being such a good man. Thank you for putting up with me when it was bad luck to have a woman on board the ship. I said goodbye to you once before and told you if it were meant to be, we would see each other again. I hope that happens again someday. Please take care of Jack and help him find his way."

Jewel kissed him on the cheek as he patted her on the back after which she stepped aside allowing John to shake his hand as well. Gibbs immediately turned to cross over the plank to the Black Pearl where the other men were anxious to leave. With a big sigh of relief, he ordered them to get ready to cast off and stood near the helm waiting for Jack to embark. The crew of the Sentinel was also busy making ready to sail back to Port Royal as was the crew of the Royal Arms. While Jack waited to speak privately to Jewel, Captain Locke came forward to bid him farewell and shake his hand.

"Captain Sparrow, you've been given a reprieve, by which I will also abide. There are people here who obviously care about you, so stay out of trouble. You have it in you to make something good of your life. Please grab that opportunity while you can, young man, and leave your pirating ways behind. All their caring in the world won't comfort them if you're hanging from a noose. Now go and good luck to you!"

As Captain Locke walked away toward the stern of the ship, John came up to Jack again, this time to also say farewell. He had come to respect Jack and was glad he was given this chance to get away.

"You're quite a rogue, Captain Sparrow," John remarked. Jack smiled back nodding his head in agreement. "Don't know if I'll ever see you again, but I won't forget you," John continued giving him a serious look. "Never thought I would say this to a pirate but thanks for the many times you saved my life. You're a good man."

"Well, just don't expect me t' rescue you every time ye get yerself in trouble," Jack replied humorously. John nodded and started to walk away when he turned to look at the pirate again with a capricious grin.

"Hey, Jack, quit trying to be the hero all the time. Leave some of the action and glory for the rest of us!"

Jack smiled again as Jewel walked toward him taking the ribbon out of her hair. She looked at him tearfully, touching his cheek and running her fingers gently over his lips one last time before finally tying the ribbon securely in his hair. He reached up to touch it, then took her hand and bowed to kiss it, his dark eyes smiling up at her. Suddenly the ship gave a jolt as the Sentinel drifted a short distance from the Pearl causing the wooden plank to fall into the water. Jewel fell against him, and he held her momentarily as men from the Sentinel scrambled to retrieve the plank. With all eyes upon them, Jack quickly released her and gave her an awkward grin just as he heard a call from the Pearl. He turned to see Flynn take a rope tied to the main mast and cast it out toward him. He leaned over the side to catch it and leaped on top of the ship's side holding the rope securely in one hand. He then turned to look at John and from his pocket took out the gold watch.

"It's yours, Commander, till I win it back!" he called out and tossed it in the air for John to catch. Finally he turned to look down at Jewel; her seductive, green eyes gazing at him through long, dark eyelashes, her long, dark hair blowing gently in the breeze. He felt his heart in his throat for he knew he would always remember her that way. She smiled with bittersweet excitement as she watched him standing high above the others, elusive as the wind and true to his legend, escaping the hangman once again and returning at last to the love of his life, the Black Pearl. Holding the rope for support, he leaned down toward her as far as he could and looked deeply into her eyes.

"I'll see you again, Jewel of the Dragon," he whispered, "when the sun sets low in the western sky, and its colors glisten on the sea. When the light of day fades slowly into darkness, then… Dragon Lady... look for me."

Jack straightened up and gave her one last smile, his gold teeth glistening in the sunlight. After a parting wave of his hand, he held the rope tightly and swung over the water to the Black Pearl and into the arms of his waiting crew. Immediately the ship moved away from the Sentinel, and Jewel watched tearfully as he made his way to the helm to finally take control of it. Like finding his lost love, he caressed the wheel and turned to give Jewel a final farewell look. Though her heart was breaking, she laughed to herself seeing how happy he was and hoped it would always be so. With the Pearl's black sails unfurled and catching the wind, Jack set the course and the Pearl got under way for destinations unknown. Jewel fought to keep her tears in check, and when the ship had distanced itself far enough, she waved at last with the hope that maybe someone would acknowledge her. Just when it seemed no one would, she finally saw a man raise his hand in a farewell gesture. She smiled for it was Mr. Gibbs standing at the stern looking back at her; Mr. Gibbs, wise and steadfast a friend as ever there were, and Jewel was comforted knowing Jack was in good company.

Moments later John walked over and stood by her side holding Jack's gold watch in his hand and hoping one day he would have the chance to wager it against him again. She looked up at him and gently took his arm, and together in silence they watched the Black Pearl sail further away toward the northern horizon. John suddenly heard one of his men call out to him from the Royal Arms and turned to look for him. Leaving Jewel's side, he hurried over the plank and soon found the small party of injured men who survived the sinking of the Vigilant with him. Happy to see them again, he ordered several men to move them over to the Sentinel. As they were carefully taken below, Jewel said goodbye and boarded the Royal Arms where her father had been patiently waiting.

The plank was taken away, and upon command the two ships disengaged and slowly moved away from one another in opposite directions. John waved to Jewel one last time, and after she returned the gesture, he turned to go down to the lower level of the Sentinel to see his men again. Meanwhile, alone on the quarterdeck save for the helmsman, Captain Locke watched as the Black Pearl slowly faded from view. He tried to focus on the return voyage to Port Royal but found himself thinking about Jack Sparrow, hoping he would heed his words. But Jack was who he was, never staying in one place, forever the wanderer, and as the captain fondly reminisced about the peculiar pirate, he laughed to himself, but then furrowed his brow, wondering how he would possibly explain it all to the commodore.

Staring out over the water as the Royal Arms quickly made its return voyage to Antigua, Jewel stood with her father by the side of the ship. Saddened by its departure, she strained her eyes to catch a final glimpse of the Black Pearl before it faded beyond the horizon. With a solemn sigh, she finally turned to look at him.

"I've been away a long time, father. I'm no longer that little girl crying over a broken teacup. So much has happened to me during the years I've been away; things that have changed me forever, but I'm here now." She reached out to touch his arm. "I want to come home and have a fresh start. I want to live again. I want to put the past behind me and find the life I was meant to have. I want to know that I am safe and those I love are safe. I want to be loved, and though I'm happy to be back with you, father, I'm afraid at the moment, my heart aches for someone."

Richard listened to his daughter, trying hard to understand what she was saying. He could see tears in her eyes for the sadness she felt.

"Do you … have feelings for that man?" he quietly asked.

"For Jack Sparrow?" she asked looking down at the hand he had kissed. "Why father, he is after all ….a pirate."

With a little sigh she looked again toward the northern horizon knowing Jack and the Pearl were long gone, perhaps forever. Just then as the empty pain of missing him began to tug at her heart and overwhelm her, a sudden gust of air from the north blew against her face. Lost in the moment, she felt the refreshing coolness of sea spray on her skin like a gentle wet kiss from the wind. She laughed quietly to herself, then opened her mouth a little to catch the spray and with her tongue tasted the salty drops of water on her lips.

"Jack," she whispered with a smile remembering again and for always his eyes, his arms, the sound of his voice, and the touch of his kiss. She finally raised the back of her hand to press against her lips and closed her teary eyes thinking of him.

Chapter 19

After many long months had passed, Jewel finally received a letter from Commander Lanksbury. She and her father had succeeded in convincing the governor of Antigua to send an official petition to the king of England requesting a pardon for Jack Sparrow and his men for their acts of bravery and assistance in the demise of William Hawkins and the crew of the Raven. In addition, a full account was sent regarding his part in the rescue of Julianne Whitbourne, of John Riggs and his wounded men, and saving the Sentinel and her crew from explosion. When word finally came that the request for pardon had been granted, Jewel was elated knowing Jack and his men would no longer be in danger of capture and execution for their past crimes.

Jewel had not seen or heard from Jack or the crew since their parting on the Sentinel yet often thought of them. Still she kept herself busy with the usual care and upkeep of the plantation since her mother was now ill and mostly bed-ridden. With so much to do on the plantation, her father depended on her for all the household supervision, but at the end of the day when all chores were done and the sun began to descend toward the horizon, she often walked out along the narrow path that led to the high cliff overlooking the harbor. There in the sunset with the wind blowing against her dress and hair, she would look out over the sea hoping to see the Black Pearl sail in from around the point at the far end of the bay, but she never came.

As time went by her hopes of seeing Jack again began to fade away, and she stopped going to the cliff as other diversions began to fill the void in her heart. She especially enjoyed the evenings when the heat from the day subsided into a gentle coolness. She would then sit on the balcony with her father or occasionally entertain an interested suitor if one came to call and take a long walk with him on the plantation grounds yet always away from the high cliff. It was, however, on such an evening when Jewel and the servants had finished feeding the farmhands and the dishes were cleaned and put away, that there was a quiet knock on the back door to the kitchen. Jewel went to answer it, and there in the doorway stood Joshamee Gibbs. With his hat in his hand, he smiled and bowed.

"Hello, Jewel," he said quietly looking around the room and hoping to find her alone. Jewel stared at him in shock then immediately reached out to hug him. She had missed him terribly, and soon tears of happiness welled up in her eyes.

"Mr. Gibbs! Wh… what are you doing here?" Before he could answer the thought of doom suddenly came to her mind, and anguish gripped her heart. She immediately pushed away from him looking anxiously into his eyes. "You've come to tell me Jack's dead," she said calmly feeling her heart rise up in her throat, hoping against hope that all was well yet fully expecting to hear the details of his demise.

"No, no, Jewel!" he responded enthusiastically. "Jack's fine and well, and the Pearl's in the harbor… thanks to you and the King's letter of pardon."

Greatly relieved and giving a big sigh, Jewel closed her eyes and feeling tears run down her cheeks, raised her hand to wipe them away. Surprised and concerned by her reaction, Gibbs gently put his hand on her shoulder to offer comfort, and she stepped into his arms again laying her head against his chest and weeping softly.

"There now, lassie. What's this all about?" he whispered soothingly and patted her gently on the back. "It'll take a lot to bring down ole Jack. Ye know him. Why, he often plays cards with the reaper 'imself and finds a way to cheat and win. Always has and always will." Through her tears, Jewel laughed at his remark.

"It's true! He does," she responded and after a brief pause, "I'm sorry to behave so silly," she apologized. "It's just that I haven't seen any of you in so long, and frankly, Mr. Gibbs, I never thought I'd see you again. So where is everyone else? Where's Jack?"

"The crew is here just outside," he replied. "While we were in port, we just wanted to come ashore and thank you fer what ye done fer us." Jewel smiled and patted his arm.

"And why are you in port, Mr. Gibbs?"

"Ah yes… well, there be a good explanation for that to be sure, and I was really hopin' Jack would be here to tell ye 'bout it. But I expect he will in due time."

"Alright, I understand. So, have you eaten?"

"Well, not really. We were..."

"Enough said," she interrupted with her hand in the air. "Bring everyone in. It's time for eating and drinking, for old time's sake."

"Thank ye, Jewel. That's just what we've been needin', a good time with a dear friend. But I must tell ye about Jack... uh, he decided to stay on board the ship. He's been actin' strange lately… uh, more so than usual and was probably too drunk to come along."

Jewel smiled and nodded her head, quickly turning away for fear he would see her disappointment. As Gibbs told the others to come in, Jewel went to get the other servants and immediately they began cooking again. She remembered the meal she prepared for them the last time and knew what they liked, though she knew they would have eaten anything given them and been satisfied just the same. When she had the chance, she went to tell her father, and he soon came in and went over to greet Gibbs with a hearty handshake.

"It's been a long time, Mr. Gibbs. I'm glad to see that you and the crew are doing well. I was pleased to hear you all finally received a pardon from England. Julianne tells me Captain Sparrow isn't here. I'm sorry to hear that. I like him, he's a good man."

"Thank ye," Gibbs replied. "I'll tell 'im ye said so."

"Good. Now please, forgive my absence but do enjoy our hospitality!"

Richard said his goodbye and went to the other part of the house to retire for the evening with Catherine leaving Jewel and the servants with a rowdy roomful of hungry men. Jewel was happy to see them all, and when the food was almost ready, she walked around the tables where the men were seated. With a little subtle smile, she put her hands on her hips and made a small announcement.

"I hope you men haven't forgotten the last time I cooked for you, for if any of you even think you're going to start eating without washing up first, you're gravely mistaken. Things haven't changed, and neither have I, so I suggest you get up now and go through that door into the washroom and clean those hands."

The men looked at each other and laughed. They quickly got up as ordered and hurried into the washroom, squeezing through the door in order to finish first. Meanwhile, Jewel took a moment to speak with Gibbs.

"How long before you sail again?" she asked, hoping they would have some time to spend together and catch up on what the men have been up to.

"Well, we actually have a few days."

Jewel smiled and patted him gently on the arm just as some of the men finished and came back to the table to sit down. After allowing some time for fond reminiscing and laughing, the servants brought out the food and poured the men drinks, and within no time they were feasting and drinking, just happy to have a home cooked meal. Jewel took time to walk around the tables hugging and talking to them unaware that dark eyes were watching from a small, side window.

"She's a regular mother hen!" Jack laughed to himself standing in the dark shadows of a small tree. She had not changed at all, he thought, still beautiful, even more so in a dress, and apparently had not married. He knew he could not stay away and followed the crew when they made their way up the winding road leading to the plantation. Watching her now made him want to join the others, but first he needed time to explain a few things and be with her... alone.

It was not long before Jewel began to sense something and glanced toward the back door. She casually walked over to it, but when she opened it, no one was there. With a deep feeling of disappointment, she stood in the doorway feeling a cool breeze and looked out toward the cliff where the sun was in its final moments of setting for the day. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder. With a startled gasp she froze then immediately turned around only to find Gibbs standing behind her. Seeing him made her breathe a sigh of relief.

"Sorry, Jewel, didn't mean to startle ye none."

"Oh, Mr. Gibbs," she breathed calmly, "I'm alright. With all the excitement, I just need to get some fresh air, but I'll be back soon. Please, don't worry about me. You should go finish your meal and enjoy yourself."

"I understand," he said with a humble smile and slowly turned around to return to the table. He then stopped and looked back at her. "And Jewel?"

"Yes?" she replied looking at him with teary eyes.

"Just know we care about ye, and anytime ye wanna go sailin' with this crusty group of seafarin' men, we'd be… very honored to 'ave ye on the Pearl."

Jewel smiled back at him with a quick nod trying hard to hold back the tears. She watched him return to his seat and was grateful for what he had said, for she knew what it meant for him of all people to say that. Overcome with emotion she quickly went out the door and with tears running down her cheek ran along the path leading to her special place on the cliffs. It had been a long time since she last stood there and as she watched the colors of the sunset reflect off the water in the bay, she saw the Black Pearl. She stared at it for many moments and wiped her eyes remembering again the time she spent on the ship and the last time she saw it and Jack. Though it had been some time since she thought about him and their adventure together, the thought of that memory brought a little stab of sorrow to her heart. She felt a strong impulse to go to him but decided to remain wondering why he was here after all these months, and more importantly why had he not come to see her with the other men.

"Oh, Jack," she sighed softly and lowered her head.

"I'm here," Jack whispered from close behind.

She was startled by his unannounced presence but soon felt his hands graze across her arms causing her skin to tingle from his touch. Closing her eyes, she raised her hands to her shoulders and waited for him to take hold of them. When he did, she drew his arms around her and rested her head back against his chest. Together they silently gazed at the sunset as its colors faded away. Soon lights began to appear in homes beyond the outskirts of town as people settled in for the night. A cool, gentle breeze blew up from the harbor, and Jewel turned in his arms to warm herself against his body. She had missed the feel of his arms around her and now felt happy and secure in his embrace. For several long moments neither spoke, only stood together savoring the closeness of their reunion. Finally Jewel broke the silence.

"I didn't think I'd ever see you again," she whispered still locked in his arms and pressed tightly against him.

"Of course, the men missed you," he replied rubbing her arms to keep her warm. "And I was tired of looking at their mopey faces each day. Thought maybe a little diversion would improve their …uh… mopiness. Even Gibbs started taking orders from Cotton's parrot." Jewel stifled a laugh against Jack's chest as he continued in a serious tone. "But the truth of it is, I've thought about ye a lot this time away from you, and I've decided to try something new that's against everything I stand for, mind ye, yet something you might even approve of."

"What do you mean?"

"Actually, for me…. something good, I hope." Jack waited to gather the courage to tell her his idea. "I'm… going to try living with soil, and trees, and rocks, and streams."

There was a long, awkward moment of silence as Jack waited for her response. Jewel was stunned and did not move but rather clutched his arms waiting for him to tell her it was a joke or something. She had wanted him to feel that way but felt he could never give up his life as a pirate and living at sea. He was who he was, and she accepted him that way. His words now seemed genuine enough, but with so much at stake, she had to be sure.

"But how, Jack? How can you possibly give up the sea, your crew, and the Black Pearl? Everything you care about."

She finally looked up at him and was shocked by his appearance. He no longer had the scarf and trinkets in his hair; rather it was now shortened and tied at the back of his neck. His beard had also been trimmed and the beads removed. She hardly recognized him.

"Jack?!" she exclaimed looking him over for even his clothes were different.

"Aye, so tell me honestly," he asked with a big grin. "Do ye like the new me, and do I look a little more proper for ye?" He stuck out his chest and raised his head with a haughty look.

"For me?" she inquired with surprise. "I… don't understand."

"Oh, woman, so much has happened since I last saw ye. It was because of you that we got pardoned, and piracy not bein' what it used to be, ye know… far too little profit for the risk of the take. Anyway, the men decided they wanted to earn an honest wage of some sort, especially Mr. Gibbs, so we talked about it. Then a few days ago, an idea came to me. We sailed to Antigua and dropped anchor near St. John's. I came ashore alone to speak with Commander Lanksbury. We talked about a few things, and I made 'im an offer. Who better than a pirate to track down other pirates and patrol the waters? Others have done it, so why not us. Well, he liked the idea, since he would be able to employ his men elsewhere not riskin' his own ships, and we would earn wages workin' for 'im and doin' what we love best... free to sail the open seas. We would patrol the area four to five days then back to port for a few days, and then out again." He moved his hands from side to side, and Jewel chucked at his gesture. "So… what d' ye think?"

"It sounds great, so are you saying he accepted your idea?"

"Aye, just today we got the word. We start in a few days once the Pearl is stocked with provisions. Just think of it… me, Captain Jack Sparrow, working fer the Brits."

"But Jack, what about adventure and treasure? Hasn't that and freedom always been your life's pursuit?"

"True enough, but honestly, I've had more adventures than I care to remember, chased after more treasure than I actually got m' hands on. I've faced more challenges, more adversaries, human or otherwise, yet I'm still searchin' for something more. Like I once told a man some time ago, not all treasure is silver and gold."

"That's wonderful, and I'm so proud of you all!" Jewel reached out to hug him. Jack smiled and nodded his head then reached into his pocket and brought out a sheathed knife.

"Before I forget, I brought ye a gift."

Jewel took the knife and pulled it out of the sheath. She gasped as she stared at it, for it was beautifully crafted with an engraved letter "J" of inlaid gold and a large, single emerald in the handle. She held it in one hand and ran the fingers of her other along the length of the sharp blade, then afterward checked it for balance. She finally looked up at Jack with a beaming smile and gratitude in her eyes.

"I'm… overwhelmed! Thank you so much, Jack. But how did you get it, or did you steal it?" she earnestly asked.

"Me… steal? Never. I just happened to have a piece of gold jewelry and was happy to negotiate having this made from it. I'm glad ye like it."

"But didn't you once say that a woman should only handle a knife when cooking?"

"Yes, well, uh… with the exception of Dragon Ladies, of course." Jack gave her a meek smile then with more enthusiasm, "I hope ye haven't lost yer touch, so go ahead and try it out!"

Jewel agreed to his request, then looked around and saw the small tree by the corner of the house. Noticing a few of the smaller branches with leaves growing out in front of the wall, she held the knife by the blade and threw it. It soared through the air in a gentle arc then struck the wall severing a leaf from one of the small branches. Jewel waited for the leaf to fall to the ground, but when it did not, she was disappointed thinking she was losing the skill she had worked so very hard to perfect. Jack was certainly impressed and put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a gentle squeeze. Jewel looked at him again and noticed that his hair was tied back with the same ribbon she had placed in his hair some months before.

"Oh Jack! I'm sure the men give you a hard time about wearing a woman's ribbon in your hair," she laughed.

"Nah," he replied shaking his head. "They know better. I am, after all..."

"The great and legendary Captain Jack Sparrow?" she asked.

Jack flashed his gold teeth and nodding in agreement, winked at her. She laughed again, and they started to walk back toward the house with their arm around each other. It was just getting dark, and the moon and a few stars had already begun to appear in the night sky. As they came closer to the back door, Jewel stopped to look at him again once more.

"Jack, what you said earlier about staying in Antigua, are you sure this is truly something you and the men want to do?" With his hands on her shoulders, he looked deep into her eyes.

"Since knowing you, I've done a lot of thinkin'… more so it seems than I've ever done in m' whole life. Ye once told me all I wanted was m' ship and to be a legend. True, the sea is all I know in life… that and being a pirate, and that used to be enough, but now… I want something more." He reached down and took hold of her hands. "When I told ye earlier about the soil, and trees, and all that goes with it, well, woman, I meant it. Just look at me! Why, 'cept for yer ribbon, I've put away everything from m' past, everything that made me who I was to the world just to embark on something new, something more valuable." He looked out over the quiet town. "Aye, St. Johns is the perfect place for an ex-pirate. Ye know, small, out of the way, safe. Like you said, even the sparrow comes home to nest," He turned to wistfully look at her.

Jewel stared at him, not quite knowing what to say. She studied his face and finally placing her hand on his cheek, moved her fingers gently across his lips. She looked up and lost herself in his eyes while he nervously awaited her response. At last she responded.

"I know you, Jack. I know you so well, and I know what makes you come alive. You'll always be a pirate at heart… that's who you are. Just as I know I can never hold back the wind, nor would I want to. It's enough to feel it blow against my face from time to time and see it scatter sand along the shore. So, I think it best not to hold you to any promises. But to say what's in my heart, then yes, I would like you to stay. However, just in case you change your mind, let's always leave the birdcage open."

Jewel watched his eyes light up and the corners of his mouth turn into a smile as he nodded his head and gave a big sigh of relief. He brought his hand up to touch her cheek, then pushed back the usual strands of hair from her eyes before holding her face in his hands. With a hungry look in his eyes, he leaned down to press his lips against hers. She put her arms around him, feeling the passion in his kiss and the strength in his arms as he brought them down around her and held her body close to his. She gave herself up to him, feeling the slow movement of his mouth on hers, his body against hers. She felt the pounding of her heart and the heat that slowly rose from the very depths of her being, spreading throughout her entire body and while clinging tightly to him, she became weak in his arms as he slowly took her breath away.

Moments later he gently released his hold on her. With her eyes closed and breathing deeply, Jewel rested her head against his shoulder still nestled in the warmth of his arms. Finally she leaned back to look at him. Light from the nearby window illuminated his face, and the yearning look in his eyes penetrated her soul. Suddenly Jack furrowed his brow.

"Now, I need to ask ye something… something that's been in the back of m' mind all evenin'." Jewel nodded her head, curious about what he had to ask. He then gave her a more serious look, and she became concerned. "Well, uh…would it be too late to get some food? Seems I've n'er been so hungry in all my life." With a grin, he added. "Must be yer cookin'." Jewel laughed and taking him by the arm, walked closer to the door of the house with him. "And I'm havin' a great thought, too," he continued, "Could ye possibly show Gabe a few things, especially that funny, green stuff ye rub on fish and chicken, and maybe… give the men a few pointers about fightin'? Yea, ye know they… uh… actually fight like old ladies and could really use the help." They stopped near the house, and Jack asked, "So, what d' ye say, Dragon Lady?"

Jewel laughed again looking down at the ground, shaking her head in utter delight of this man, and as she raised her head to answer him, she glanced over at her knife still imbedded in the wall between the branch and the leaf. She stared a moment at the leaf and felt a little gust of wind suddenly blow against her back. As it blew through the branches of the small tree, the leaf finally fell away from the knife, grabbing hold of the wind as it was lifted up and carried away.

Jewel watched it disappear into the darkness and like the leaf felt her heart soar with newfound freedom and tranquility. Happily she looked at Jack thinking to herself that everything was finally as it should be and after reaching out to retrieve her knife from the wall, she turned to him once more. Light from the house sparkled in her eyes as she put her hands together and with a slight bow of her head, smiled.

"Aye… Captain."

Jack put his arms around her once more in a warm embrace, then heard someone call his name in a soft, faraway voice. He glanced toward the cliff and saw a white mist blowing up from the sea below. The voice sounded his name again, and he narrowed his eyes for he knew that voice. It was Pearl. He saw her standing in the mist at the cliff's edge reaching out her arms beckoning him to come to her. Suddenly someone appeared next to her and laid a hand on her arm. She quickly turned to see who was there and saw the Dragon Lady dressed in her black warrior clothes and wearing a veil across her face. The Dragon Lady brought her other hand up to her mouth and motioned for Pearl to be silent then looked at Jack with smiling green eyes and blew him a kiss. Jack looked fondly at his dream girls then back at Jewel and with a slight wave of his hand and a nod of his head, bid them farewell.

191


End file.
